FIFA boss Gianni Infantino is standing his ground after many people attacked his decision to give a peace prize to US President Donald Trump. People were angry because the award was given during the 2026 World Cup draw, especially as Trump’s government has been involved in some big international and local controversies lately.
But Infantino insists the award was the right move, saying, “Objectively, he deserves it.” He explained that FIFA wants to reward anyone who does something to help peace in the world.
Despite the back-and-forth, Infantino dismissed talk that countries might boycott the World Cup starting this June in the US, Canada, and Mexico. He pointed out that people don’t usually ask businesses to boycott a country, so he asked, “why football?” He believes that in a world full of fighting, people need football to bring them together.
He also mentioned that FIFA might soon allow Russian youth teams back into international matches. Even though Russia has been banned since 2022, Infantino said, “This ban has not achieved anything; it has just created more frustration and hatred.” He feels letting Russian children play football with the rest of the world will actually help things get better.
