FIFA moves to scrap or reform Trump's peace prize

FIFA is reviewing the future of its controversial Peace Prize, just one year after Donald Trump became its inaugural recipient. The decision came during a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich on Thursday, October 15, where top officials demanded the award be either abolished or depoliticised.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally awarded Trump the honour at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington last December, presenting him with a golden trophy, medal, and certificate.

The award was announced suddenly in November 2025, shortly after Trump was overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize he had publicly coveted. The voting process behind Trump’s selection has never been made public.

According to The Guardian, several council members called for the prize to be scrapped entirely, while others pushed for strict reforms. A key proposal would ban politicians from receiving the award and restrict it to football figures who have promoted social harmony.

Article II of FIFA’s statutes prohibits political interference in football, one of several reasons the award triggered backlash, especially after Trump launched airstrikes in Iran.

FIFA’s 22-person Football Social Responsibility Committee will now assess the prize’s merits and, if it survives, set strict nomination and selection parameters. A final decision is expected at the next council meeting in Doha on December 16.

The controversy adds to mounting pressure on Infantino, who apologised at the same meeting for mistakes related to the withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise plan. He also faces questions over Folarin Balogun’s overturned World Cup suspension following a call from Trump.

Despite calls to resign, Infantino is standing for re-election next March.