Trump awarded inaugural FIFA Peace Prize at 2026 World Cup draw ceremony

WASHINGTON,DC: US President Donald Trump has been given the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington. FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded Trump moments before teams were assigned their tournament groups.

FIFA unveiled the new prize last month, describing it as an honour meant “to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and, by doing so, have united people across the world.”

President Trump, in his brief speech on Friday, called the award “one of the great honours of my life.”

“This is truly one of the great honours of my life, and beyond awards, we saved millions and millions of lives,” Trump said. He also reiterated his claim of ending many wars, including mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May this year. India, however, has consistently denied any third-party involvement.

“The Democratic Republic of the Congo, as an example, over 10 million people killed, and it was heading for another 10 million very quickly…India-Pakistan, so many different wars that we’re able to end, in some cases, a little bit before they started, just right before they started. It was going to be late, but we got them done,” he added.

FIFA President Infantino, presenting the honour to Trump, said it is “a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go” and a certificate recognising POTUS’s “exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace.”

The FIFA Peace Prize comes as a consolation to President Donald Trump, who missed out on the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year, despite his repeated push for the award, emphasising his foreign policy achievements.

Trump’s repeated claim for credit for the ceasefire came months after India carried out Operation Sindoor in May 2025, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in April that killed 26 people. India, however, has consistently denied any third-party involvement, while Pakistan has publicly credited Trump for helping to broker the ceasefire during the May conflict.

The award to Trump has irked football fans worldwide, who see the honour as “politically motivated,” arguing that sports shouldn’t be involved in politics.

The World Cup will begin on June 11, 2026, with a clash between co-hosts Mexico and Canada. The US is also a co-host for the 2026 World Cup. (ANI)