In a move that has sparked immediate controversy, former United States President Donald Trump was presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during Friday's World Cup draw ceremony in Washington DC.
A Controversial Honour
The award, created by football's global governing body to recognise those making "exceptional contributions to peace and unity", was handed to Trump by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The two men have developed a notably close relationship in recent times.
The presentation took place on Friday 5 December 2025, as the draw for the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, was conducted. The decision to honour Trump was met with fierce criticism from leading human rights organisations, who had urged FIFA not to proceed with the award earlier in the week.
Human Rights Backlash
A coalition of groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, issued a joint statement condemning the decision. They argued that bestowing the prize "against a backdrop of escalating attacks on human rights and civil freedoms" risked weaponising the 2026 World Cup for authoritarian purposes.
The statement specifically cited violent detentions of immigrants, crackdowns on freedom of expression, and the militarisation of US cities under the Trump administration as reasons for their opposition.
Infantino's Praise and Ongoing Controversies
FIFA's president has previously lauded Trump's involvement in Middle East peace negotiations. The US administration is also engaged in efforts to end the conflict following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
However, Trump's recent comments and actions have fuelled the award's contentious nature. At a press briefing attended by Infantino last month, Trump threatened to launch strikes on Mexican territory—a fellow 2026 World Cup host—if it failed to stop drug trafficking into the United States.
Furthermore, his administration faces scrutiny over its conduct regarding a September attack on a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean Sea. Earlier this week, Trump provoked further outrage by referring to Somali immigrants to the US as "garbage".
The awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump has therefore ignited a fierce debate, placing the ethics of the world's most popular sport directly into the volatile arena of global politics and human rights.
