US President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on Friday in Washington D.C., just before the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The new award, introduced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, is designated for someone who has taken “exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace” and “united people across the world.”
Trump, who has made several recent public appearances with Infantino, was widely expected to win.
Receiving a golden trophy, Trump stated it was “truly one of the great honours of my life,” and claimed he had “saved tens of millions of lives” and “stopped wars happening.”
He also praised Infantino and claimed the 2026 World Cup had set a record for ticket sales, declaring, “The USA was not doing well a year ago; now we are the hottest country in the world right now.”
The ceremony, held near the White House, immediately sparked controversy. Critics view the award and the politically charged staging—which included the Village People playing ‘YMCA,’ a Trump favourite—as a threat to FIFA’s commitment to political neutrality and a sign that the governing body is aligning with the Trump administration.
Infantino and Trump later joined Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to perform the ceremonial opening of the draw.
The co-hosts were assigned their groups: Mexico (Group A, opening match), Canada (Group B), and USA (Group D).
