The FIFA World Cup is meant to unite the world through sport – not become a platform for political propaganda. Yet, FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently created and awarded a new "FIFA Peace Prize" to U.S. President Donald Trump without any transparent nomination process, criteria, or judging panel. Even more troubling, the award came just months before a major military escalation involving Iran that has already killed thousands and displaced many more – raising serious questions about FIFA's credibility and commitment to neutrality.
Sign the petition urging FIFA to revoke this inappropriate "peace prize" and guarantee the safety of Iran's national team.
The controversy has only deepened after Trump suggested that Iran's national football team should not participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting in 2026. Iran's team quickly responded that the World Cup is governed by FIFA – not by the political opinions of a host country – and raised concerns about whether the U.S. can provide proper security for all teams.
FIFA's leadership has close ties to Trump, and critics warn that this relationship risks turning the 2026 World Cup into yet another example of sportswashing, which is when governments use major sporting events to polish their reputations while human rights abuses continue behind the scenes.
The world has seen this before. Russia used the 2014 Olympics and the 2018 World Cup to project prestige while cracking down on civil society. Qatar spent billions on the 2022 World Cup while migrant workers building stadiums died in large numbers. FIFA later acknowledged it had a responsibility to compensate affected families but has not done so.
After those scandals, FIFA promised that the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico would be different and guided by human rights principles.
Instead, FIFA now faces criticism for awarding a "peace prize" while the Trump administration enforces harsh travel bans affecting fans from dozens of countries, carries out aggressive immigration raids in host cities, and threatens the participation of teams like Iran.
Sign the petition urging FIFA to revoke this inappropriate "peace prize" and ensure that Iran's players – and all teams – can participate in the World Cup safely and without political intimidation.
