Trump actively pursued the Nobel Peace Prize for years and appeared likely to win the newly created FIFA award.
FIFA presented the peace prize to US President Donald Trump at the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday.
The ceremony added a distinctly Trump-focused flair to the football event and the tournament’s matchups.
Close Ties Shape Recognition
Trump maintains a strong alliance with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who publicly supported his Nobel Peace Prize candidacy.
Infantino praised Trump’s efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire and announced, “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.”
Infantino promotes football as a global unifier, though the award represents a shift from FIFA’s traditional sports focus.
Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Centre in Washington that he did not know if he would receive it.
He added, “I don’t need prizes. I just want to save lives.”
Context and Global Reactions
FIFA defines the prize as honoring people who take extraordinary actions for peace and unite the world.
The award arrived while Trump faced criticism for lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.
He also intensified his rhetoric against immigrants during this period.
The Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who partly dedicated it to Trump.
She praised him for providing decisive support to her political movement.
