Donald Trump to speak at World Cup draw upon receiving FIFA Peace Prize

The Athletic has live coverage of the FIFA Men’s 2026 World Cup draw.

FIFA invited President Donald Trump to address the World Cup 2026 draw Friday after he receives the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, per multiple sources briefed on the event’s planning

According to plans formulated in recent weeks, Trump will be given time to speak on stage during the almost two-hour event at the Kennedy Center in Washington as first reported by Politico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will also be present at the draw. The most attention, however, will be afforded to Trump, who has been given a couple of minutes to talk. The organization is unlikely to be overly stringent on limiting Trump.

The Athletic has reached out to FIFA for comment.

“The United States of America has never been more respected or successful than it is now under President Trump’s historic leadership,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said. “America is the hottest country in the world right now, which makes us the perfect country to host one of the greatest sporting events in history — the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

The White House declined to comment on the point of Trump speaking.

On Nov. 5, FIFA announced it would introduce a new award called “FIFA Peace Prize — Football Unites the World.”

In a statement published by the FIFA website and on FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s Instagram account, Infantino said, “In an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it’s fundamental to recognise the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace.

“Football stands for peace, and on behalf of the entire global football community, the FIFA Peace Prize — Football Unites the World will recognise the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations.”

FIFA said the award will be handed out once per year, but Infantino will present the inaugural prize during the World Cup draw in Washington on Friday. The organization said it will go to individuals who have “helped to unite people all over the world in peace and consequently deserve a special and unique recognition.”

The award was announced on the same day Infantino spoke at the America Business Forum in Miami, where Trump also addressed an audience at the Kaseya Center.

After Trump expressed his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize, which went to Venezuelan democracy advocate María Corina Machado, FIFA subsequently announced it would award its own Peace Prize at Friday’s draw. Trump was widely expected to receive FIFA’s award, but that has yet to be formally confirmed. Multiple sources at FIFA, who asked to be anonymous because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said Trump will be the winner.

The inaugural FIFA Peace Prize is widely expected to go to Donald Trump, but FIFA has not formally confirmed it. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Infantino wrote on Instagram after the Israel-Gaza ceasefire that Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump missed out on this year’s award amid his claim to have ended eight wars since returning to office. In some of those instances, he has been praised by the warring parties, but his role is more disputed in others, while tensions and/or fighting remain in several cases, according to analysis from The New York Times.

During his Nov. 5 appearance, Infantino was asked about Trump’s chances of winning FIFA’s Peace Prize. He smiled and said, “You will see.”

The Athletic previously reported that FIFA did not consult its own FIFA Council or the organization’s vice presidents before conceiving of or announcing the peace prize, and the council and vice presidents had no consultation on the selection criteria.

The event has already been adapted to Trump’s taste. It will be hosted at the Kennedy Center, the performing arts venue Trump and his allies have taken over since he returned to power in January.

FIFA announced earlier this week that the Village People, the pop group that sings Trump’s adopted anthem of “Y.M.C.A.,” will perform at the World Cup draw. The song was often heard at Make America Great Again rallies during Trump’s re-election campaign, as well as at Mar-a-Lago fundraisers. Trump often dances along while his supporters sing the song.

The Athletic also reported that FIFA received a letter from Human Rights Watch requesting information on the process and criteria applied by soccer’s world governing body before handing out its prize.

The letter, seen by The Athletic, was written to Infantino on Nov. 11, with a Nov. 20 deadline for a response. Human Rights Watch said it did not receive one.

The letter asked:

1. What are the formal criteria FIFA will use to evaluate nominees for the FIFA Peace Prize?

2. Will FIFA publish these criteria before the December 5 award ceremony?

3. How will FIFA identify and receive nominations for the prize? Can you share a list of the nominees?

4. Who will serve as judges or decision-makers in selecting the recipient, and what are their qualifications?

5. We note that FIFA adopted the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and published a Human Rights Policy, which guides FIFA’s operations. How will human rights considerations factor into the selection of the FIFA Peace Prize recipient(s)?

FIFA declined to comment.