2/10/25 – FIFA announces introduction of the Peace Prize with no clear involvement from its Council, sources allege Infantino did not consult them

The FIFA Statutes indicate that the decision to introduce a FIFA Peace Prize should have been taken by the FIFA Council. 

Article 34 of the statutes states that “the Council defines FIFA’s mission, strategic direction, policies and values, in particular with regard to the organisation and development of football at worldwide level and all related matters.” 

The FIFA President does not have the authority to unilaterally dictate the organisation’s mission, strategic direction, policies and values. In line with article 35 of the statutes, his role in this regard is to “ensure that FIFA’s mission, strategic direction, policies and values, as defined by the Council, are protected and implemented, in particular by the general secretariat.”

In the FIFA statement of 2 October 2025 in which they announced the introduction of the FIFA Peace Prize, there is no mention of the FIFA Council having been involved in the decision to launch a peace prize. There is also no mention of who will be involved in adjudicating, nor the criteria to be applied. 

Similarly, there is no mention of the FIFA Peace Prize in the agenda of the FIFA Council meeting held on 2 October 2025.

On 1 December 2025, The Athletic reported that the FIFA Council was not involved in the decision. 

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.

On 5 December 2025, the New York Times reported similar information and alleged that Mr Infantino was personally responsible for the institution of the prize.

Mr. Infantino, president of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, who had publicly lobbied for Mr. Trump to receive the [Nobel] peace prize, simply had his organization establish its own. The announcement of the “FIFA Peace Prize — Football Unites the World” was so hastily arranged that it surprised several of the body’s most senior officials, including board members and vice presidents, according to four soccer executives briefed on the events.

On 11 November 2025, Human Rights Watch wrote to FIFA to request, among other things, details of the criteria to be applied in the award of the prize, and details of who would be involved in the adjudication process.  FIFA did not respond to the letter.

On 4 December 2025, The Guardian reported that a FIFA Committee would be involved in future decisions to award the Peace Prize, but would not be involved in the 2025 decision.

The Fifa prize is seen internally as its version of the president’s award at Uefa, the European football body, suggesting Infantino’s say will be decisive. It is also understood that a new “social responsibility” committee within Fifa has been given the central role in devising the “process” through which winners will be chosen – but will not sit before this year’s recipient is announced.

The decisions to initiate a Peace Prize and award it to Donald Trump and Mr Infantino’s roles therein should be investigated as abuses of position, prohibited under article 26 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

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