U.S. President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025, awarded by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. A Norwegian football official is now calling for the award's abolishment, suggesting Trump should be its last recipient.
Mentioned in this story
U.S. President Donald Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Gianni Infantino ahead of the World Cup draw in December -Credit:Stephanie Scarbrough - Pool/Getty Images
(Stephanie Scarbrough - Pool/Getty Images)
In December 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump became the first-ever recipient of FIFAâs controversial Peace Prize. But if the president of Norwayâs football federation has her way, he will also be the awardâs final ever winner.
Awarded by FIFA President Gianni Infantino with a medal and a large trophy on stage during the draw for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be held across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, the newly created honor had only been announced a month prior. Coincidentally, this came shortly after Trump was unsuccessful in being named the yearâs Nobel Peace Prize recipient - something he had publicly pushed for beforehand.
Instead, the Norwegian Nobel Institute awarded the coveted 2025 prize to Venezuelan politician MarĂa Corina Machado. The institute praised her âfor her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.â
The president of Norway's football federation believes that awarding the prize to Donald Trump was controversial and suggests he should be the last recipient.
Donald Trump was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025 during the draw for the 2026 World Cup.
The FIFA Peace Prize was awarded to Donald Trump by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The award was announced shortly after Trump was unsuccessful in being named the Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
Manchester United secured a 2-1 victory over Brentford, moving closer to a Champions League return. They are now just two points away from guaranteeing their spot in next season's competition.
Chelsea considers three candidates for head coach position, including Andoni Iraola.
Man Utd secures a 2-1 win over Brentford, edging closer to Champions League qualification.
Eddie Hearn confirms Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury fight!
Get your Kentucky Derby 2026 tickets! Prices start at $132.25.
South Africa seals T20I series 4-1 with Wolvaardt's 92* against India
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
Trump received the Peace Prize two months after MarĂa Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize -Credit:Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images
In response to the instituteâs decision, a statement made by a White House spokesperson claimed, âThe Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace,â as per Fortune.
However, Trump eventually got his hands on the Peace Prize medal when Machado opted to gift it to the President in January in what she called a âPersonal Symbol of Gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan People,â via Reuters, after the U.S. captured now-former leader Nicolas Maduro earlier that month.
Now in possession of both the FIFA and Nobel Peace Prize medals, Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness believes the global soccer governing bodyâs award should be âabolished.â
âWe donât think itâs part of FIFAâs mandate to give such a prize. We think we have a Nobel institute that does that job independently already,â she said on Thursday, courtesy of The Athletic.
âWe think itâs important for football federations, confederations and FIFA to try and avoid situations where this armâs length distance to state leaders are challenged. These prizes will typically be very political if you donât have really good instruments and experience to make this independent.
âTo have a jury and criteria is full-time work. Itâs so sensitive. From a resource angle and from a mandate angle but, most importantly, from a governance angle, I think it should be avoided also in the future.â
FIFAâs ties with Trump, however, couldnât be much closer - at least such is the case with the President and Infantino.
In an Instagram post following the event in December, Infantino, who has regularly visited the White House during Trumpâs second tenure while he also attended Trumpâs inaugural âBoard of Peaceâ meeting in February, wrote, âI was honoured and delighted to present the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize â Football Unites the World award to United States President Donald J. Trump for his unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world through his notable leadership and action.
âFootball stands for peace, unity and togetherness, and we recognise @potusâs exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world.
Infantino attended Trump's first Board of Peace meeting in February -Credit:SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images
âI thank you President Trump for all that you do and you can always count on my support, and on the support of the entire football community, to help make peace and prosperity all over the world.â
According to The Athletic, FIFAâs Peace Prize was announced without having received approval from the FIFA Council.