Topics: FIFA, Donald Trump, Gianni Infantino
A FIFA spokesperson has issued a strong statement after calls for Donald Trump to be stripped of the 2025 FIFA Peace Prize, which the US President was awarded before the FIFA World Cup draw in December 2025.
Trump was presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize before the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on December 5.
The 79-year-old was given a golden trophy, medal, and certificate by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who stood alongside Trump as he made a speech to the crowd in Washington D.C.
During his speech, the US President claimed that he had saved “tens of millions of lives” through interventions and that he had “stopped wars happening just before they started”.
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FIFA has described the award as something that rewards “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world”.
However, since receiving the medal, the Trump administration has been heavily criticised for taking military action in Venezuela.
On January 2, Trump announced that US forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, after a covert operation.
Trump has also issued threats that the US will take military action against Iran, Mexico, Colombia, and Greenland.
The 79-year-old claims that the US “needs Greenland” for security purposes and has urged the Danish government, which rules the country, to hand the territory over to the US.
European allies have since pushed back against Trump before the US President announced plans to impose tariffs on the UK and the allies until a deal is struck for the US to take over Greenland.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the plans as “completely wrong”.
Meanwhile, in a statement to The Guardian, FIFA has doubled down on its stance to give Trump the peace prize despite the threats to take over Greenland and take military action in several other nations.
A spokesperson said: “FIFA strongly supports its annual peace prize, an award to recognise exceptional actions for peace and unity. Fifa notes the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient [the Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado] has given her medal to President Trump.
“FIFA has strong relations with President Trump, along with leaders from fellow co-hosts Canada and Mexico. This has resulted in good working relationships leading to, for example, in the US, the formation of the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup.”
But the Guardian also reports that there is a growing sense of embarrassment among officials within FIFA about the awarding of the peace prize to Trump.
SPORTbible has contacted FIFA for comment.
