Controversy Overshadows 2026 World Cup Draw as Trump Receives FIFA ‘Peace Prize’

By Staff, Agencies

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, intended to be a festive global event celebrating the expanded 47-team tournament across the US, Canada and Mexico, instead drew widespread criticism after US President Donald Trump took center stage.

Many viewers described the broadcast as awkward and “cringe-inducing,” pointing in particular to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s presentation of a newly created FIFA “Peace Prize” to Trump—a move that sparked intense backlash online, where critics labeled it unnecessary and pandering.

Social media reactions poured in, with fans expressing discomfort at what they saw as an overblown spectacle dominated by politics rather than sport. Comments ranged from calling the moment “sickening” to declaring the event “unwatchable.”

The production as a whole—including lengthy introductions and an elaborate stage show hosted by Rio Ferdinand alongside American stars Tom Brady and Aaron Judge—was also ridiculed for excess.

The incident followed another contentious moment in July, when Trump was loudly booed while presenting trophies to Chelsea after their FIFA Club World Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium.

His extended presence on the field during the ceremony was widely criticized and viewed by many fans and players as an unnecessary intrusion.