Donald Trump Receives FIFA Peace Prize Amid Controversy

FIFA president Gianni Infantino awarded former U.S. president Donald Trump a "peace prize" in December, a move that sparked criticism from European Parliament members. Ten MEPs, including Barry Andrews (UK), Lara Wolters (Netherlands) and Niels Fuglsang (Denmark), sent a letter to FIFA and its ethics committee demanding a prompt, transparent investigation, saying the award violates FIFA’s ethics code and harms the tournament’s reputation.

The controversy is linked to an earlier incident in which Trump, after a meeting with Infantino and U.S. Soccer officials, influenced FIFA to suspend for one year the disciplinary ban on striker Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play for the United States in the quarter‑final against Belgium. The Belgian Football Association called the decision contradictory to tournament rules and urged legal action, while U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino defended the reversal as just.

EU officials warned that such favoritism undermines the integrity of the 2026 World Cup and called for greater accountability within FIFA.