FIFA Peace Prize to Trump; The End of Football’s Depoliticization?

FIFA has sparked a wave of criticism by granting its first “Peace Prize” to Donald Trump, as critics argue that Gianni Infantino—who previously stressed the political neutrality of football—has now, by disregarding the recent deadly attacks, Trump’s continued support for Israel, “illegal” operations in the Caribbean, and his anti-immigration policies, sought to legitimize and obscure his human rights record. Critics have described this move as a “shameful development” and a political attempt to strengthen FIFA’s ties with Trump.

According to Rokna, citing Al Jazeera, FIFA—which for years has emphasized the principle of “political neutrality” and has routinely punished players who display political messages with fines and suspensions—took a completely different path on Friday. On this day, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the first “FIFA Peace Prize” to Donald Trump, the President of the United States; an action that, according to observers, further solidified and highlighted his closeness to the Republican leader.

“Peace—FIFA Style”: A Political Gift to Donald Trump

Critics stress that this award was given less than 24 hours after the Trump administration carried out another deadly airstrike in the Caribbean. Craig Mokhiber, a former United Nations official who had launched a campaign to suspend Israel’s membership from world football, called the awarding of the prize to Trump “a truly shameful development.”

Infantino has so far refrained from taking any action against Israel, arguing that football “cannot solve geopolitical issues” and should not become entangled in political disputes. Mokhiber, in an interview with Al Jazeera, sharply criticized this stance and said: “The fact that, after two years of FIFA’s complicity in the genocide in Palestine, they are still not convinced and now Infantino and his associates have invented a new ‘Peace Prize’ to ingratiate themselves with Donald Trump is truly shocking.”

He emphasized that the purpose of granting this award is not merely to honor Trump but also an attempt to “conceal” his “stained record” of supporting Israel, his role in deadly attacks on vessels in the Caribbean Sea, and his “gross violations of human rights” inside the United States itself.

From the Nobel to FIFA; Trump in Search of a Seal of Peace

During the award ceremony on Friday, Infantino praised certain international agreements from Trump’s presidency—especially what are called the “Abraham Accords,” which established formal relations between Israel and several Arab states without addressing the core issue of establishing an independent Palestinian state.

At the ceremony, Infantino said: “This is what we want from a leader; a leader who cares about people. We want to live in a safe world, in a safe environment. We want to be united, and that is exactly what we are doing here today; and that is what we want to do at the World Cup as well.” He continued, addressing Donald Trump: “Mr. President, you undoubtedly deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize; for what you have done, for the achievements you have reached; and you have accomplished all of this in a truly extraordinary manner.”

Trump had previously made explicit efforts—and even campaigned—to receive the “Nobel Peace Prize,” but earlier this year he failed to secure the title. In response to FIFA’s new tribute, he called the award one of the “greatest honors” of his term and repeated his familiar claim that his presidency “saved millions of lives and ended eight wars.” The U.S. President’s remarks at the ceremony were brief, though he did not refrain from his usual jabs at Joe Biden’s record. Trump said: “The United States was not in good shape a year ago, and now I have to say we are the hottest country in the entire world.”

The Great Contradiction: From “Political Neutrality” to Awarding Trump a Peace Prize

Infantino has previously warned repeatedly against the instrumentalization of football to fuel political division and polarization. In 2023 he said: “There is no greater tool than sport for uniting people. We must now protect the autonomy of sport, the political neutrality of sport, and the values of sport.” Now, two years later, critics point out that this same Infantino has created an award to honor peace and unity and bestowed it upon a president who, just days earlier, had called Somalis “garbage.”

Zack Lowy, a sports journalist, wrote on social media: “Giving a Peace Prize to Donald Trump is like giving Luis Suárez an award for not biting people’s ears!”—a jab at the Uruguayan striker, who has been involved in at least three high-profile biting incidents during matches.

It appears that Infantino, as the joint U.S.–Mexico–Canada World Cup approaches next year, has established an increasingly close and sustained relationship with Trump. The FIFA President has been a frequent guest at the White House, and in October appeared alongside Trump at a ceremony held to formalize the Gaza ceasefire in Egypt.

The Democratic Party is among the critics who targeted FIFA’s new award. The party wrote on social media: “Trump couldn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize, so FIFA made one for him.” Human rights advocates, however, directed even more serious criticism at the U.S. President, raising concerns about his human rights record and foreign policy.

A Peace Prize for a President on the Battlefield

Although Trump has played a role in mediating certain peace agreements between conflicting parties, he has also been one of the strongest supporters of increased military budgets and spending across the Western world. In June, Donald Trump ordered the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities and, despite well-documented violations by Israel against Palestinians, has continued to arm the regime without interruption.

In the Western Hemisphere, the Trump administration has carried out 22 airstrikes against vessels it claims were carrying narcotics, resulting in at least 86 deaths. Legal experts have widely condemned these operations as “illegal” and clear examples of “extrajudicial killings.” In addition, Trump has been amassing forces and military equipment near Venezuela’s borders—an act that has fueled speculation about the possibility of a new war initiated by the United States to overthrow Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s leftist president, and has heightened fears of another military confrontation.

Inside the United States, Trump has intensified repressive anti-immigration policies, resulting in mass detentions and efforts to deport individuals who are not U.S. citizens. In this climate, some activists have been targeted and pressured merely for criticizing Israel. Human Rights Watch wrote on X: “Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has just been awarded the newly created FIFA Peace Prize.” The organization continued: “But his administration’s horrific human rights record in no way reflects exceptional actions for peace and unity.”

Mokhiber, the former UN official, also said that this “ludicrous” award given to Trump should be withdrawn. He emphasized: “FIFA rules do not allow playing on muddy ground; certainly they should not be playing on blood-soaked ground either. But that is exactly where Infantino is taking FIFA.”