FIFA Feel ‘Deep Embarrassment’ Over Donald Trump Winning Peace Prize
Jan 18, 2028
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is remembered as the night FIFA controversially awarded Donald Trump its inaugural peace prize. An insider has now revealed how the organisation feels about handing the award to the US President.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the FIFA Peace Award to Trump ahead of the draw taking place on December 5th. The Italian said to the US President,” We want to see hope, we want to see unity, we want to see a future. This is what we want to see from a leader, and you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize.”
This came at a time when Trump was already receiving heavy criticism for his politics, and since then, his popularity has only plummeted further. The US has since launched airstrikes across Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maudo and his wife Cilia Flores, putting them in a US prison.
Trump is now threatening to invade Greenland for security reasons and has vowed to impose tariffs on European countries that oppose this. There are claims in Germany that the joint-second-most-successful nation in World Cup history could withdraw from the tournament in the summer due to these threats.
FIFA ‘Deeply Embarrassed’ By Trump Peace Award
‘Hope’, ‘unity’ and ‘future’ were the apparent requirements for a world leader to win the Peace Prize, and Trump’s actions after receiving the award from Infantino don’t meet those criteria. It was said that there was already unease when the US President was handed the award.
According to a FIFA source whom The Guardian spoke with, this has now shifted to “deep embarrassment.” Multiple officials have expressed unease about the way it was handled.
One high-placed FIFA official was also wary of staging the World Cup in the US, and a high-ranking official admitted that it would be a “very delicate” and “difficult” build-up to the tournament and during the competition itself. But the sports governing body have reaffirmed the decision to award Trump the peace prize and that it did not comment on “hearsay.”
A FIFA spokesperson was quoted as saying: “FIFA strongly supports its annual peace prize, an award to recognise exceptional actions for peace and unity. FIFA notes the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient [the Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado]has given her medal to President Trump.”
They added:
“FIFA has strong relations with President Trump, along with leaders from fellow co-hosts Canada and Mexico. This has resulted in good working relationships leading to, for example in the US, the formation of the White House Task Force for the Fifa World Cup.”
Some FIFA officials are trying to stay out of politics ahead of the World Cup as one individual stated: “Involving myself in the politics surrounding this World Cup is something I stay far away from. My job concerns football on the pitch and nothing else.”
Trump said it was “truly one of the great honours” of his life when he was awarded FIFA’s peace prize. This came months after he lost his bid for the Nobel Peace Prize.
FIFA President Infantino on Relationship with Trump
This summer’s World Cup will be the first following its expansion to 48 teams, with matches in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Russia are currently banned from participating due to the invasion of Ukraine, but other nations have threatened to voluntarily pull out of the competition.
Germany sees boycotting the tournament as a “last resort” to make Trump “see sense”. But doubts were also cast over Spain’s participation last year due to issues linked with Israel.
Infantino said back in February 2025 that FIFA “want to have all countries playing”, opening the door for Russia to return. He also highlighted the need to be on good terms with President Trump (via Sky News):
“I think it is absolutely crucial for the success of a World Cup to have a close relationship with the president.”
Trump and Infantino have regularly been seen together in the build-up to the tournament, especially when major announcements have been made. The pair have formed a close bond over the years, and FIFA has no plans to challenge Trump on visa and immigration issues.