**FIFA’s decision to award the inaugural Donald Trump the newly created FIFA Peace Prize ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in December 2025 has become a significant point of contention. The prize, introduced in late 2025 by Gianni Infantino, was described by FIFA as recognizing “exceptional actions for peace and unity” during a major international event.
The award ceremony took place on December 5, 2025, at the final draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington, D.C., where Infantino presented Trump with the first FIFA Peace Prize. The choice drew widespread attention because it departed from FIFA’s typical sporting focus and placed political leadership at the center of a peace-oriented award.
Criticism and controversy have followed for several reasons:
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Some observers — including human rights groups and football commentators — questioned the transparency of both the prize’s creation and the selection process, noting that formal criteria and nomination procedures were not publicly disclosed.
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Critics argued that the choice risked conflating sport with geopolitics and could undermine FIFA’s stated neutrality, especially as debates over global leadership and conflict continue.
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Advocacy groups raised concerns about FIFA’s governance and political implications, leading to ethics complaints and public debate over whether awarding a sitting political leader was appropriate for an organization that claims to focus on football unity.
FIFA has defended the decision, emphasizing the symbolic purpose of the award and its belief in sport as a unifying force. The organization has so far resisted calls to revoke the prize, even as public and internal embarrassment has been reported.
In this context, the Peace Prize controversy illustrates the challenges international sports bodies face when their symbolic gestures intersect with global political discussion and scrutiny — particularly in the run-up to one of the world’s largest sporting events.
