FIFA has unveiled a new honour — the FIFA Peace Prize, branded “Football Unites the World” — and it will make its debut at the 2026 World Cup finals draw in Washington D.C., a symbolic meeting of sport and diplomacy designed to shine a light on individuals whose actions have tangibly advanced peace and unity.
The inaugural award will be revealed on December 5, 2025 at the Kennedy Center during the World Cup draw ceremony, where FIFA president Gianni Infantino will present the prize on behalf of the global football family, turning a high-profile sporting ritual into a platform for global recognition.
Infantino frames the prize as FIFA’s answer to fracturing global tensions — a way to celebrate those who use courage, compassion and creative diplomacy to bridge divides — positioning football not merely as entertainment but as a global language for reconciliation and hope.
Inevitably, the announcement has generated political and media buzz; the Washington draw will be both a ratings magnet and a diplomatic stage, prompting speculation about high-profile guests, surprise honorees and the balance between genuine philanthropy and headline-grabbing pageantry.
FIFA intends the Peace Prize to be an annual fixture, a recurring chance to elevate peacemakers at each World Cup draw and to define how the sport’s enormous reach is harnessed to spotlight social impact and bridge-building around the world.
