Fifa president says award has been received by “a leader that cares about the people”
US President Donald Trump has become the inaugural winner of Fifa’s peace prize, after the award was confirmed at the World Cup draw in Washington on Friday.
The award was presented shortly before the draw began, with Fifa president Gianni Infantino stepping onto the stage to deliver the honour himself.
Fifa said it was intended for “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world”.
While handing over the award, Infantino praised Trump for his efforts “to promote peace and unity around the world”.
“This is what we want from a leader, a leader that cares about the people,” said Fifa’s chief, before adding, “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.”
Trump described the honour as “truly one of the great honours of my life”.
The decision to create the award and give it to Trump has been a source of much controversy, with many insisting that it goes against Fifa’s claim of keeping football away from politics.
Infantino has repeatedly argued in recent months that Trump should have received the Nobel Peace Prize for his attempts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza.
Instead, this year’s award went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, although after receiving it she said she was dedicating part of the award to Trump for “his decisive support of our cause”.
