The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) has formally called on FIFA to abolish its newly created peace prize, asserting that the global football governing body should steer clear of political entanglements and leave such honors to established institutions like the Nobel Institute. This demand arises after FIFA awarded its inaugural peace prize to US President Donald Trump during the draw for the 2026 World Cup in December.
Controversy Over Trump's Award
The decision to honor Trump was widely interpreted as a consolation prize, following his repeated public assertions that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. The United States is set to co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, a factor that many observers believe influenced the award.
NFF President Lise Klaveness expressed her organization's stance clearly: "We (the NFF) want to see it (the FIFA peace prize) abolished. We don't think it's part of FIFA's mandate to give such a prize; we think we have a Nobel Institute that does that job independently already."
Political Risks and Governance Concerns
Klaveness elaborated on the NFF's concerns, highlighting the political risks inherent in such awards. "We think it's important for football federations, confederations, and also FIFA to try to avoid situations where this arm's-length distance to state leaders is challenged. These prizes will typically be very political if you don't have real good instruments and experience to make them independent, with juries and criteria et cetera," she explained. "That is full-time work; it's so sensitive. I think from a resource angle, from a mandate angle, but most importantly from a governance angle, I think it should be avoided also in the future."
Call for Investigation
The 45-year-old lawyer confirmed that the NFF board intends to send a letter supporting calls for an investigation into the prize's awarding. This follows allegations by the non-profit organization FairSquare, which claims that FIFA president Gianni Infantino and the organization may have breached their own ethical guidelines regarding political impartiality.
Klaveness stressed the need for transparency and accountability: "There should be checks and balances on these issues, and this complaint from FairSquare should be treated with a transparent timeline, and that the reasoning and the conclusion should be transparent."
The NFF's stance adds significant pressure on FIFA to reconsider its involvement in political accolades, as the football world debates the appropriateness of the peace prize and its implications for the sport's governance.
