Lead

The president of the Norwegian Football Association (NFF), Lise Klaveness, has urged FIFA to scrap its newly inaugurated Peace Prize, arguing that the sport's global governing body should not be in the business of honoring world leaders. Speaking to an online news briefing, Klaveness said the prize, which was awarded to former US President Donald Trump in December, falls outside FIFA's mandate and risks entangling the sport in political controversies.

"We [the NFF] want to see it [the FIFA peace prize] abolished. We don't think it's part of FIFA's mandate to give such a prize; we think we have a Nobel Institute that does that job independently already," Klaveness was quoted by the Jerusalem Post and Al Jazeera. Her comments came amid growing criticism of FIFA's decision to honor Trump, who will be the host of the upcoming 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.

Coverage Comparison

The criticism of FIFA's decision has been widely reported. Al Jazeera, in two separate articles, highlighted the concerns raised by Klaveness and other football figures, while also focusing on the wider implications of Trump's policies on African teams and fans. The Jerusalem Post also covered Klaveness's remarks, noting her past criticism of other football bodies, including a suggestion that UEFA suspend Israel.

While all reports agree on Klaveness's call for abolition and her reasoning, the coverage differs in scope. The first Al Jazeera report placed emphasis on the context of Trump's travel ban and visa policies, which it says affect African countries qualified for the World Cup. The second report, which is later and titled "What does Trump shooting at US dinner mean for World Cup security?" (snippet cut off), seems to focus more on the political nature of the prize itself. The Jerusalem Post concentrated on Klaveness's statements and her position that the prize should be left to the Nobel Institute.

Key Claims

The following are the key claims reported by the sources:

  • FIFA awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw in December, with the stated goal of rewarding "individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace" (as per the Jerusalem Post).
  • The award was widely seen as political, given Trump's repeated assertions that he should receive the Nobel Peace Prize and the fact that the US is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.
  • Klaveness called for the prize's abolition, stating it is too sensitive to be managed by FIFA, and suggested that the Nobel Institute is better equipped to handle such honors.
  • Trump has made negative remarks about African countries. Al Jazeera noted his December 2025 comments in which he referred to Somalis as "garbage" and referenced his 2018 "shithole" comment. The Jerusalem Post did not mention these remarks.
  • Several African countries affected by Trump's travel ban and visa policies: according to one Al Jazeera report, Senegal and the Ivory Coast are on the travel ban list; Algeria, Tunisia, and Cabo Verde are on the visa bond program list.
  • No official response from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) or African national federations regarding these policies was reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Jackson Irvine, an Australian men's national team player, accused FIFA of "making a mockery of its own Human Rights Policy" by awarding the peace prize to Trump (per Al Jazeera, though the source is not quoted directly in the text provided).

Perspectives

For the FIFA Peace Prize: FIFA President Gianni Infantino, presenting the award to Trump, praised him as "a leader that cares about the people," and said he "definitely deserves the first FIFA Peace Prize." The official characterize the award as recognition of exceptional actions for peace (per the Jerusalem Post).

For the abolition: Klaveness and others, like Jackson Irvine, argue that awarding a political leader is inappropriate and undermines the sport's neutrality and integrity. Others argue it's a symbolic gesture for a host country, while criticisms have also been made about the lack of democratic process in selecting the winner.

On the travel ban and visa policies: Al Jazeera's report (sourced) describes the impact on African teams and fans to highlight the hypocrisy of honoring a leader whose policies are not aligned with the spirit of the prize. Other sources may not have mentioned this context, but the data presented is only from Al Jazeera, and it suggests a lack of response from football's African bodies.

Contextual Note

The ceremony took place on December 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C., just days after Trump's cabinet meeting remarks. Klaveness's comments were made in May 2026, months later. The World Cup is scheduled for June 2026. There has been no official response from FIFA or the White House to the criticism.