The final draw was initially planned to be held in Las Vegas, but at Trump’s suggestion, Infantino switched venues. The FIFA president has cozied up to Trump during his second term in office, appearing at multiple White House events and attending Trump’s public appearances abroad.

Infantino publicly lobbied for Trump to receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. However, when Trump lost out on the honor to Maria Corina Machado, the exiled leader of the political opposition to Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, Infantino quickly announced his association’s own award.

Although FIFA played its cards close to its chest before Friday’s drawing, there was never really a question as to who would receive the inaugural prize.”

“Mr. President, this is your prize. This is your peace prize. There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go,” Infantino told Trump onstage as he wore the medal.

According to Infantino, the prize is awarded “to a distinguished individual who exemplifies an unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world through their notable leadership and action.”

Trump, sporting a bandaid on his right hand, said the ceremony was “truly one of the great honors of my life” before thanking first lady Melania Trump.

He also thanked the leaders of Canada and Mexico for their relationship with the U.S., despite trade negotiations.  

“We’ve had a tremendous relationship, working relationship with Canada,” Trump said. “We have our Prime Minister of Canada there, and we have our president of Mexico, and we’ve worked closely with those two countries, and the coordination and friendship and relationship has been outstanding.”

Trump also praised Infantino’s leadership over the World Cup.

“He’s done such an incredible job, and I have to tell you, you set new records on ticket sales,” he said. “The numbers are beyond any numbers that anybody, even beyond what Gianni thought was possible.” 

While Trump has claimed not to be aggrieved by his Nobel Prize snub, he has frequently taken credit for ending numerous wars worldwide, even if the fighting has not yet been fully resolved in some of those conflicts. On Thursday, he hosted a peace signing ceremony between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Washington, despite clashes in the Congo’s eastern regions.

“And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this, we saved millions and millions of lives. The Congo is an example. Over 10 million people killed, and it was heading for another 10 million very quickly,” Trump said. “India, Pakistan, so many different wars that we were able to end, in some cases, a little bit before they started.”

Before accepting the prize, Trump said his main goal is to save lives globally. 

“I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes. I need to save lives. So we’re saving a lot of lives. I’ve saved millions and millions of lives, and that’s really what I want to do,” he said on the red carpet. “I also want to run a great country. And the United States right now is the hottest country anywhere in the world.”

The drawing featured a star-studded cast, albeit with a slightly surprising lack of actual soccer stars. The event was hosted by Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart, with assistance from sporting legends Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge, and Eli Manning. The Village People and Andrea Bocelli, two of Trump’s favorite musicians, also performed live.

Rio Ferdinand and Samantha Johnson, former soccer stars-turned-broadcasters, were the draw’s co-conductors.

Since entering office in January, Trump has consistently leaned on sports as an avenue to appeal to unengaged voters. He has attended multiple prime-time games and matches. And his burgeoning friendship with Infantino comes as no surprise, given soccer’s rising popularity in the U.S. Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, who is a sophomore at New York University, played soccer competitively in high school and is a known Arsenal supporter.

However, some experts have raised concerns about the close relationship between Trump and Infantino, given that FIFA is reportedly paying the Trump administration $7 million for use of the Kennedy Center, and FIFA’s checkered past regarding corruption.

In 2015, the Department of Justice indicted nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives on charges of racketeering conspiracy and corruption, related to a 24-year bribery scheme. The organization has also been pressed on its human rights record, following the most recent World Cup in Qatar and the 2034 tournament, set to be held in Saudi Arabia.

WORLD CUP DRAW OFFERS CANADA AND MEXICO LEADERS CHANCE TO TALK TRADE WITH TRUMP

White House officials generally defended the administration’s handling of the tournament.

“The United States of America has never been more respected or successful than it is now under President Trump’s historic leadership,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said. “America is the hottest country in the world right now, which makes us the perfect country to host one of the greatest sporting events in history — the FIFA World Cup 2026.”