In a spectacle that blurred the lines between global sport and political theatre, former US President Donald Trump was presented with a newly-invented FIFA Peace Prize during the World Cup draw in Washington DC. The event, marked by a lacklustre musical performance and a series of contentious statements from Trump, provided a cascade of surreal moments.
The FIFA Ceremony and Trump's Dubious Honour
The ceremony at the Kennedy Centre on 5 December 2025 saw FIFA President Gianni Infantino bestow the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize upon Donald Trump. The award, a large gold trophy, was presented following a perfunctory performance of the official World Cup song by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger. Trump also received a commemorative medal, which he wore for the remainder of the event.
In accepting the prize, Trump declared it was "truly one of the great honours of my life." He used his brief speech to make sweeping claims about preventing wars, stating, "We’ve saved millions and millions of lives... India-Pakistan. Wars, some wars just before they started." Infantino's assertion that the prize would become an annual fixture added a further layer of incredulity to the proceedings.
Expanding Policies and Re-litigating the Past
Separate from the FIFA event, the Trump administration announced a significant policy shift. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed plans to dramatically expand the so-called travel ban. The policy, which currently restricts entry from 19 nations, is set to be extended to more than 30 countries. Noem declined to name the additional nations during an interview on Fox News, citing ongoing evaluations of governmental stability and vetting cooperation.
Meanwhile, during the traditional White House Christmas tree lighting, Trump diverted from seasonal goodwill to revisit his unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud. As First Lady Melania Trump illuminated the tree, the former president mused about the 2020 election, suggesting he was deprived of hosting future global events like the World Cup and Olympics due to the result.
Questionable Claims and Curious Attendees
Further muddying his self-proclaimed peacemaker credentials, Trump claimed credit for ending a conflict between Rwanda and Congo—a claim he had already made in June regarding a ceasefire that subsequently collapsed. This repetition allowed him to inaccurately tally the achievement twice among his stated diplomatic successes.
The evening also featured an unexpected guest. Trump interrupted his tree-lighting speech to acknowledge the presence of ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, whose reason for attending remained unclear. Remnants of The Beach Boys also provided musical accompaniment, compounding the event's eclectic tone.
The series of events underscores the continuing blend of ceremonial recognition, controversial policy, and personal grievance that defines Trump's post-presidency, now unexpectedly amplified on the global stage of international football governance.
