FIFA has been sent a letter by Human Rights Watch requesting information about the process and criteria applied by soccer’s world governing body ahead of handing out its inaugural peace prize during the draw for the 2026 World Cup this Friday.
On November 5, FIFA announced that the organisation would introduce a new award entitled “FIFA Peace Prize — Football Unites the World”.
In a statement published by the FIFA website and on 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 the inaugural prize will be presented by Infantino during the World Cup draw in Washington D.C. on Friday, December 5. They 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 that Infantino was due to speak at the America Business Forum in Miami, where U.S. President Donald Trump also addressed an audience at the Kaseya Center.
Trump missed out on this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, 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 have remained in several cases, according to analysis from the New York Times.
Infantino wrote on Instagram on October 9 that Trump “definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his decisive actions” in the Israel-Gaza ceasefire. At the Kaseya Center, during his speech, Infanino was asked about Trump’s chances of winning FIFA’s Peace Prize and said: “You will see.”
On Monday, The Athletic revealed that FIFA’s announcement about the prize came as a surprise to the vast majority of the FIFA Council. The FIFA Council is comprised of 37 members, which is chaired by Infantino, as well as eight vice-presidents, and 28 other members elected by the member associations. Multiple sources familiar with the process, all of whom wished to remain anonymous to protect relationships, said the Council and FIFA’s vice-presidents were not consulted or involved in the creation of a FIFA peace prize and that it was not discussed at the prior FIFA Council. They have also not had input into the selection criteria for deciding a recipient. Some found out via a media release.
Now, Human Rights Watch, the global human rights and advocacy organization, has written a letter to FIFA seeking more details. The letter, seen by The Athletic, was written to Infantino on November 11, with a deadline of November 20 for a response. Human Rights Watch say they have not received one.
The letter asked five questions:
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)?
A statement from Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, added: “The Nobel Committee often awards its Peace Prize to leaders who champion democracy and human rights, including those whose sacrifices include years as political prisoners. Think of Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Liu Xiaobo of China—who died in state custody. But this so-called ‘FIFA Peace Prize’ seems to have no nominees, no criteria, no judges and no process. So it will also have no legitimacy.”
President Trump is expected to attend the World Cup draw on Friday at the Kennedy Center, the performance arts venue he now chairs. During the FIFA Club World Cup draw in December 2024, Trump sent a message via videolink ahead of his inauguration the following month, while his grandson Theo and daughter Ivanka made the ceremonial first pick of the draw. Trump then played a central part in the trophy celebrations when Chelsea won the tournament in May.
FIFA has been approached for comment.
