Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), has called for the immediate abolition of FIFA’s newly created Peace Prize, escalating pressure on Gianni Infantino and football’s global governing body following the controversial award to Donald Trump in December 2025.
Klaveness said FIFA lacks both the mandate and institutional credibility to issue a peace prize, warning that such initiatives risk politicising the organisation and undermining its commitment to neutrality. She argued that global peace recognition should remain the responsibility of independent bodies such as the Nobel Institute, not a sports federation.
The criticism comes after FIFA awarded its inaugural Peace Prize to Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, a decision that has drawn widespread scrutiny over governance, transparency, and political alignment.
Klaveness also confirmed support for a formal complaint submitted by human rights group FairSquare, which accuses Infantino of breaching FIFA’s rules on political neutrality. The complaint has been referred to FIFA’s Ethics Committee, with calls for a transparent investigation into whether the award constituted an abuse of power or an improper political endorsement.
According to the NFF, backing the complaint is part of a broader push to uphold governance standards within international football. Klaveness stressed the importance of accountability, stating that football authorities must avoid actions that could be interpreted as favouring political figures or agendas.
The FIFA Peace Prize itself was only introduced in late 2025 as part of the organisation’s “Football Unites the World” initiative, intended to honour individuals contributing to peace and unity. However, critics have questioned both the opaque selection process and the appropriateness of awarding such a prize to a sitting political figure, particularly given FIFA’s long-standing stance on political neutrality.
The controversy adds to growing scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with several stakeholders now urging FIFA to refocus on its core sporting mandate.
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