FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly defended his decision to award United States President Donald Trump the governing body’s inaugural peace prize, dismissing criticism and rejecting calls for a boycott of the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Infantino faced widespread reaction after presenting Trump with the honour during the World Cup draw in Washington DC last December. The move was further scrutinized amid controversies surrounding Trump’s foreign and domestic policies, including the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan president Miguel Maduro and Trump’s proposal to acquire Greenland for national security purposes.
Speaking to Sky News, Infantino insisted Trump was a worthy recipient: “Objectively, he deserves it. Whatever we can do to help peace in the world, we should be doing it. For this reason, we thought we should reward people who do something.”
The FIFA chief dismissed suggestions that Trump’s policies could trigger a boycott of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. He argued that football should not be singled out when businesses and other sectors continue to engage with countries despite political disputes: “There were never calls for businesses to boycott a country, so why football?”
Infantino emphasized football’s role in uniting people despite global divisions: “In our divided world, in our aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come together around the passion for football.”
Beyond defending Trump’s award, Infantino also addressed Russia’s ongoing ban from international football following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He suggested FIFA and UEFA would need to consider readmitting Russian teams, particularly at youth level, echoing recent recommendations from the International Olympic Committee. “This ban has not achieved anything; it has just created more frustration and hatred. Allowing Russian boys and girls to play football in Europe would help,” he said.
