Fifa president Gianni Infantino has announced the creation of a new Fifa peace prize, to be awarded annually to individuals who “help unite people in peace through unwavering commitment and special actions”. The inaugural award will be presented on 5 December during the World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, an event that US President Donald Trump is expected to attend.
Infantino said the prize would further football’s moral responsibility to unite people. “In an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it’s fundamental to recognise the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace,” he said.
The announcement comes weeks after the Nobel peace prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, a decision criticised by senior White House aides. Trump has long campaigned for a Nobel prize, and Republican House speaker Mike Johnson recently said he would work to have Trump nominated for next year’s award.
Infantino has aligned Fifa closely with the Trump administration, which has been instrumental in staging the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trump announced in August that the World Cup draw would take place in Washington, with Infantino declaring: “We are uniting the world, Mr President.”
Fifa has also appointed Trump’s daughter Ivanka to the board of a $100m education project part-funded by 2026 World Cup ticket sales. The move has raised questions about the blurring of sport and diplomacy, despite Infantino’s insistence that football exists beyond politics.
