US President Donald Trump has been named the first winner of the newly created FIFA Peace Prize at the ongoing draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington DC.
Gianni Infantino, the FIFA President presented the honour onstage at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, saying Trump had been selected “in recognition of his exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world”.
“This is your prize, this is your peace prize,” Infantino said, after Trump took the stage to accept the trophy, a medal and certificate. “There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.”
FIFA says the prize is for “individuals who help unite people in peace through unwavering commitment and special actions”.
The governing body has not disclosed details of the selection process, although a new “social responsibility” committee reportedly chaired by the controversial Myanmar tycoon Zaw Zaw will propose the process for future awards.
Accepting the award, Trump called it “one of the great honours of my life”, before claiming to have “saved millions and millions of lives – the Congo is an example, over 10 million people killed and it was heading for another 10 million very quickly. India and Pakistan, so many different wars we were able to end, in some cases just before they started.”
He went on to praise Infantino for “setting new records on ticket sales” and said the 2026 tournament would be “an event the likes of which maybe the world has never seen”.
Trump concluded: “The world is a safer place now … we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
