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FIFA 2026 draw & award
At the FIFA World Cup 2026 final draw in Washington, DC, FIFA presented the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to former U.S. President Donald Trump during a ceremony at the Kennedy Center.
“President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final draw.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino presented Trump with a large trophy, a medal, and a certificate.
Fox News described the set as a trophy of golden hands holding a soccer ball, a medal, and a certificate praising his commitment to advancing peace and unity.
Al Jazeera reported the prize was a newly created annual award and described the trophy as a large gold-plated globe carried by upraised hands.
The award presentation took place alongside the draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, which organizers confirmed will run June 11–July 19 with 104 matches in 16 host cities.
Coverage noted the show was celebrity-studded and heavily staged.
Mirror listed the performers and hosts, while KSL reported the spectacle closed with the Village People and that Wayne Gretzky attended.
Trump at FIFA award
Trump accepted the award onstage, calling it 'one of the great honors' of his life.
Fox reported he also claimed his administration had 'saved millions' and helped end or prevent wars.
Al Jazeera quoted Trump thanking FIFA and repeating the 'one of the great honours of my life' line.
Al Jazeera also noted FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised Trump's role in brokering a ceasefire and helping end Russia's war in Ukraine, and a video shown before the award made similar claims.
The Mirror and other outlets flagged immediate unease, saying that awarding a high-profile, recent political leader risked breaching FIFA's stated neutrality and left many people 'confused and uneasy.'
KSL and Fox reported Trump used the platform to underline confidence in host-city security and to emphasize federal support plans.
Fox and other outlets also noted Trump's role in creating and chairing a World Cup task force.
FIFA prize scrutiny
FIFA's motivations and Infantino's role drew particular scrutiny across coverage.
“FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a close ally of Trump, presented the award at the Kennedy Center, praising Trump’s efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine; a video shown before the presentation made similar claims.”
Al Jazeera described Infantino as a close ally of Trump and reported that both Infantino's praise and a pre-show video credited Trump with diplomatic efforts.
Fox presented Infantino's onstage praise and the award items, while The Mirror juxtaposed Infantino's 2018 insistence that 'politics should stay out of football' with his decision to give the prize to a prominent political figure.
Some outlets framed the prize as an institutional recognition of peace work, noting FIFA announced the prize in November to recognize individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace.
Other outlets emphasized the apparent contradiction with FIFA's historical claims of political neutrality.
2026 World Cup Coverage
Coverage of the 2026 World Cup draw emphasized spectacle and operational details beyond the prize itself.
Multiple outlets confirmed the tournament schedule and scale, with Al Jazeera and KSL citing June 11–July 19 dates and 104 matches across 16 host cities.
Fox noted that the United States will host 11 of the 16 host cities.
Reporting also highlighted heavy security measures and a star-studded production, with Mirror pointing to performances and hosts and KSL noting Wayne Gretzky's attendance.
Some local and industry snippets provided little or no new information — WWNY's text displayed only "All rights reserved." and Forbes' preview contained only a byline — underscoring variation in reporting depth across outlets.