The controversial FIFA Peace Prize, controversially presented to US regime leader Donald Trump just months before the World Cup, is now facing imminent cancellation following strong pushback from multiple member associations. During a recent FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, several delegates openly questioned the merit of the accolade, demanding that the federation either scrap or drastically reform the award to distance itself from overt political patronage.

The award was originally announced late last year by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who presented it to Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony in Washington, DC. Infantino, a close ally of the American leader, openly championed the decision despite widespread skepticism from the global sporting community. Critics and human rights groups immediately denounced the move as a blatant violation of FIFA’s statutory neutrality, arguing it makes a mockery of the organization's human rights commitments.

Pressure has steadily mounted with formal complaints filed by bodies such as the Norwegian Football Association, whose president Lise Klaveness argued that political prizes fall completely outside FIFA's core mandate. In response to the growing discontent, the matter has been referred to FIFA's Football Social Responsibility Committee, which is expected to table recommendations ahead of the upcoming council meeting in Doha this December.

This mounting controversy compounds the severe political pressure already surrounding Gianni Infantino, who has faced intense criticism over his failed $4.2bn plan to sell a commercial stake in the World Cup to private investors—a proposal that sparked a major rebellion led by UEFA and other regional confederations. Despite growing calls for his resignation ahead of the March elections, Infantino continues to navigate a turbulent period marked by governance crises and plunging institutional credibility.

Source: www.aljazeera.com