FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered powerful remarks as he awarded President Donald Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 World Cup Draw ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The moment, captured and confirmed by FIFA and the White House, marks an unprecedented shift in the organization’s history as it steps beyond traditional sports recognition and into the realm of global diplomacy.

Infantino praised Trump’s record of diplomatic achievements, highlighting his leadership in the Abraham Accords, his role in securing recent ceasefires, and his broader efforts to promote stability across regions long plagued by conflict. He credited these actions with saving “millions of lives,” framing Trump’s foreign policy as one of the most consequential peace-driven legacies in recent memory.

The decision to launch a new annual peace award and honor Trump as its first recipient underscores FIFA’s strategic desire to align global sports with international peace initiatives. For Infantino, the move also signals a commitment to ensuring harmonious political conditions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, where U.S. leadership plays a central role.

While the award has drawn criticism from some analysts who question its timing and implications, supporters see this as a powerful recognition of Trump’s diplomatic impact. Infantino’s warm remarks and the medal presentation cemented a symbolic moment where global sports and geopolitical leadership intersected—elevating Trump as the inaugural figure shaped to define the award’s legacy. The ceremony stands as both a personal milestone for the former president and a statement by FIFA on the broader influence of peace through leadership.