US President Donald Trump attended Washington’s Kennedy Centre on Friday for the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw, insisting he wasn’t there to collect any honours — but ended up receiving FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize.
The unexpected award came in a year where Trump has publicly pursued a Nobel nomination, presenting himself as a dealmaker in some of the world’s most volatile regions.
The Kennedy Centre event was a glitzy, celebrity-studded affair dominated by Trump, overshadowing other leaders in attendance, including Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who hosted the ceremony, staged the three leaders behind brightly colored podiums “game-show style” for the draw and later joined them for a group selfie.
“This will be unique, this will be stellar, this will be spectacular,” Infantino said at the start of the ceremony, referring both to the 2026 World Cup and the Kennedy Centre event itself, which was held in Washington at Trump’s insistence.
FIFA announced last month that its new annual Peace Prize would honor individuals “who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace.”
A pre-award video highlighted Trump’s role in attempting to resolve conflicts in Gaza and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The trophy, a gold-plated globe held aloft by raised hands, was larger and more elaborate than a traditional Nobel medal.
Trump was also presented with a medal, which he proudly wore as Infantino praised him for “promoting peace and unity around the world.”
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life – and beyond,” Trump said, congratulating himself on his achievements. He claimed the US was “not doing too well” before his presidency, but now described it as “the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
Earlier, Trump told reporters that he didn’t seek awards, saying, “I don’t need prizes. I need to save lives.
I saved millions and millions of lives, and that’s really what I want to do.” He also claimed to have ended eight wars during his 10 months in office — a figure widely disputed, with several conflicts, including the Israel-Hamas situation, still unresolved.
The award came the same week the Trump administration froze immigration applications from 19 countries following last week’s shooting of two National Guard members in Washington.
It also came days after the president demeaned Somali immigrants in the United States as “garbage” – sparking an outcry both at home and abroad.
Trump has frequently made the trappings of the presidency a part of major sporting and cultural events this year.
He attended the Super Bowl in February, to a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd, and on Sunday, he plans to attend the Kennedy Centre Honours, which he eschewed during his first term.
The FIFA event – where 48 teams learned their group stage opponents – opened with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli singing “Nessun Dorma,” a favourite of Trump’s and a staple at his campaign rallies.
Later, British pop star Robbie Williams and American Broadway chanteuse Nicole Scherzinger sang FIFA’s 2026 World Cup anthem with highlights from past tournaments playing on a large video screen behind them.
American sports stars Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal and Aaron Judge – none of them soccer players – also took part. Also on hand was Canadian hockey great Wayne Gretzky.
The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with a record 104 matches in 16 host cities.
The spectacle ended with a live performance of the song “YMCA” by the Village People, the crowning touch for yet another event that the president made his own.
