FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally took the stage and presented the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald J. Trump

President Donald J. Trump accepted the very first FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, moments before the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The golden trophy, medal, and certificate were handed to Trump in front of a star-studded audience that included First Lady Melania Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Ivanka Trump, and celebrities ranging from Robbie Williams to The Village People.

Infantino, visibly emotional, praised Trump for “extraordinary actions that have promoted peace, stopped wars, and brought nations together,” declaring the award was given “on behalf of billions of football-loving people worldwide.” Trump, smiling broadly, placed the medal around his own neck and told the crowd, “This is truly one of the great honors of my life. Maybe the greatest. We’ve settled eight wars in ten months; the world is safer tonight because of it. And next summer, we’re going to have the greatest World Cup anybody has ever seen.”

The newly created FIFA Peace Prize had only been announced by the global soccer body four weeks ago and, according to multiple sources inside FIFA, was never discussed with the 37-member FIFA Council before last night’s presentation.

The lavish ceremony opened with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performing “Nessun Dorma” (a staple at Trump campaign rallies), followed by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger debuting the official 2026 anthem. The two-hour draw itself was repeatedly interrupted by standing ovations for the President. It concluded with The Village People leading a sing-along of “Y.M.C.A.” while Trump danced on stage, arms raised in his trademark move.

Reaction was immediate and polarized.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called it “a historic recognition of President Trump’s peacemaking that the Nobel Committee was too cowardly to acknowledge.” Trump himself posted on Truth Social at 1:14 a.m.: “Just won the FIFA PEACE PRIZE! Bigger than Nobel. Soccer loves me. Billions of people love me. THANK YOU!”

Critics were scathing. CNN’s live broadcast caught panelists openly laughing when the award was announced. The hashtag #FIFAMakeAWish trended worldwide within minutes, with users posting memes of Trump holding a participation trophy. European outlets labeled it “the most embarrassing night in FIFA’s modern history,” while one viral post read: “FIFA just invented a peace prize because Donald couldn’t get the real one. Incredible.”

On the field, the draw produced several blockbuster groups for the expanded 48-team tournament:

• Group A: United States, Colombia, Morocco, Iran
• Group E: Brazil, Spain, Japan, Costa Rica
• Group H: Argentina, France, Tunisia, Canada

The tournament will kick off June 11, 2026, with the U.S. facing Iran in Los Angeles in a match already being called geopolitically explosive.

FIFA insists the prize is permanent and will be awarded annually, with Ivanka Trump recently named to the board of FIFA’s $100 million global education fund. Sources say the Kennedy Center venue, expedited fan visas, and U.S. government security guarantees for all 16 host cities were finalized only after multiple Oval Office meetings between Trump and Infantino this year.

Whether history records last night as a triumphant celebration of American-hosted soccer or the ultimate vanity project, one thing is certain: the 2026 World Cup buildup now has an unmistakable Trumpian glow.

The President left the stage to chants of “Four more years!” while clutching his new medal, telling reporters, “This is bigger than the Super Bowl, bigger than anything. We’re going to win everything in 2026. Everything.”