US President Donald Trump was involved in an awkward moment during the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday evening, as viewers picked up on something the 79-year-old ‘would have hated’. The world leader was in attendance alongside some of the biggest names in the sport at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Trump has been front and centre of next summer’s showpiece ever since the USA was named as co-hosts with Canada and Mexico, though not always for the right reasons. He has repeatedly threatened to strip hosting rights from cities his administration deemed unsafe, while meetings throughout the final planning stages have often involved attempts to push his more controversial policies during his time in the White House.
On Friday evening, however, he was awarded the first-ever “FIFA Peace Prize” by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who expressed support for Trump’s international deals – including the so-called Abraham Accords, which established formal ties between Israel and several Arab states without resolving the issue of Palestinian statehood. The reaction has largely been one of confusion given Trump’s history, but what happened next almost certainly irked the US president.
Trump Involved in Awkward Moment at World Cup Draw
Infantino is the ultimate sycophant to Trump, and make no mistake – the hastily put-together new award was likely created just to flatter the president even more. But the FIFA chief likely lost some brownie points when, after shrouding Trump in glory with his speech, he then let the president put the medal on himself. Watch the awkward incident below:
The world of politics and leadership is all about respect, and having to take his own medal out of a box and put it on himself would likely have both shocked Trump and dented his ego. Arguably, it was the first – and last – time he’s ever had to do it himself.
Trump Accepts FIFA Peace Prize
“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said, after he placed his own medal around his neck, as per the Daily Mail. “Beyond awards, we have saved millions and millions of lives. The Congo is an example. India, Pakistan, so many different wars we are able to end, in some cases, a little bit before they started.
“It’s such an honor to be with Gianni. I have known Gianni for so long; he has done such an incredible job. He has set a new record on ticket sales. It’s an awfully nice tribute to you and the game of football, or, as we call it, soccer. The numbers are beyond what even Gianni thought was possible.”
“I want to thank my family, my great First Lady, Melania. And I think you are going to have an event to maybe the likes of which the world has ever seen. The enthusiasm, I have never seen anything like it. We have had a tremendous working relationship with Canada; we have our Prime Minister of Canada and the President of Mexico, and we have worked closely with those two countries.
The president concluded: “I want to thank everybody. The world is a safer place now. The United States a year ago was not doing well, but now we are the hottest country in the world, and we are going to keep it that way.”
