O
ne of Gianni Infantino's greatest skills as president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has been his ability to adapt to the host country of the World Cup. Many still remember his extended anaphora in November 2022 at the opening of the previous tournament in Qatar. Responding to widespread criticism of the host nation – particularly regarding its lack of tolerance and the working conditions of laborers on World Cup construction sites – the Swiss FIFA president declared in 2022, "Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker," prompting widespread ridicule.
On December 5 in Washington, during the draw for the next World Cup – which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to June 27, 2026 – there was no praise for living together. Mr. Infantino took a pragmatic approach, believing that, this time, such declarations would not appeal to his new host, Donald Trump.
For the President of the United States – known for his anti-migrant policies, disdain for Africa and willingness to mock people with disabilities – the FIFA president found a new way to ingratiate himself by organizing a farcical "peace prize" ceremony, created for the occasion, in hopes of currying favor with a man who dreams of someday winning the Nobel Prize. "Mr. President (...) you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way, but you obtained it in an incredible way," said the head of FIFA. The organization, in a press release, praised Trump's "tireless efforts to bring people together in a spirit of peace."
