FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended his controversial decision to award a peace prize to United States President Donald Trump, while dismissing calls for a boycott of the upcoming World Cup.
Infantino faced widespread criticism after presenting Trump with the honour on behalf of FIFA during the 2026 World Cup draw held in Washington DC in December. The decision attracted further scrutiny following recent US foreign policy actions and renewed controversy surrounding Trump’s statements on global security issues.
However, speaking to Sky News on Monday, February 2, Infantino insisted the award was justified, describing Trump as deserving of FIFA’s inaugural peace prize.
“Objectively, he deserves it,” Infantino said. “Whatever we can do to help peace in the world, we should be doing it. For some time, we have been thinking about rewarding people who contribute in this direction.”
Infantino also rejected suggestions that this year’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, could face a boycott due to policies of the Trump administration. He pointed out that political disagreements have never led to countries being boycotted commercially and questioned why football should be treated differently.
“In our divided and aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come together and meet around a shared passion,” he said.
Addressing ongoing unrest in some US cities over immigration enforcement, Infantino maintained that football should remain a unifying force rather than a political battleground.
The FIFA president also revealed that discussions would be necessary regarding Russia’s return to international football. Russia has been banned since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but recent recommendations from the International Olympic Committee have encouraged sports federations to allow Russian teams to compete at youth level.
“We have to look at readmitting Russia. Definitely,” Infantino said. “This ban has not achieved anything. It has only created more frustration and hatred. Allowing girls and boys from Russia to play football in other parts of Europe would help.”