Norwegian FA President Klaveness Calls on FIFA to Discontinue Peace Prize

Under the leadership of Gianni Infantino, the governing body of world football faced criticism for presenting its first peace prize to US President Donald Trump during the draw for the 2026 World Cup in December.

Many viewed the FIFA peace award as a mere consolation prize for Trump, who has frequently claimed he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, and whose nation is slated to co-host this year’s World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.

“We (the NFF) are advocating for the abolition of the FIFA peace prize. We believe it falls outside of FIFA’s scope to bestow such awards, as we already have an independent Nobel Institute that fulfills that role,” Klaveness expressed during an online media briefing.

“It’s crucial for football federations, confederations, and FIFA to maintain a clear separation from state leaders, as these prizes can easily become politicised without the proper frameworks, juries, and criteria in place to ensure their independence.

“Managing this is a considerable undertaking due to its sensitivity, along with the implications for resources and governance. Therefore, we think it’s best to steer clear of such awards in the future,” she added.

Klaveness, a qualified lawyer, indicated that the NFF board plans to send a letter supporting an investigation initiated by the non-profit organisation FairSquare, which claims that Infantino and FIFA may have violated their ethical standards concerning political neutrality in the prize’s awarding.

“It’s essential to implement checks and balances surrounding these matters, and FairSquare’s complaint should be addressed with a clear and transparent timeline, ensuring that both the rationale and the outcome are made public,” Klaveness remarked.