Trump was at the center of the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, where FIFA presented him with an unprecedented "Peace Award" in a spectacular display.

Donald Trump was ecstatic! FIFA gave the US president center stage at the draw for the 2026 World Cup, held at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Welcomed with great fanfare in the arena he now leads, the president enjoyed an unusual platform before receiving the institution's first-ever "Peace Prize" from Gianni Infantino. "Here is your Peace Prize," said the FIFA president, presenting him with a golden trophy, along with "a beautiful medal" intended to be worn "everywhere." Trump declared that this distinction was one of the "greatest honors of [his] life."

The awarding of this prize immediately sparked reactions from the opposition. On X, California Governor Gavin Newsom ridiculed the event, referring to it as a "Happy Meal" award and highlighting the perceived excessiveness of the spectacle. However, this episode was only the first part of an evening where sports, politics, and public relations became intertwined.

Group selfie between host countries

Donald Trump then returned to the stage for a mock lottery drawing with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Seated behind lecterns reminiscent of a game show, the three leaders each drew a ball bearing the name of their country. Upon revealing a slip of paper reading "USA," Donald Trump commented with his characteristic dry humor: "That's very surprising!"

Shortly afterward, Gianni Infantino suggested a group selfie, before the leaders withdrew for a closed-door meeting aimed at resolving their trade disputes. Amidst the general enthusiasm, Donald Trump also ventured to question American sports terminology, a particularly sensitive topic.

A political showcase for Donald Trump

“We have a bit of a conflict with something else called football. But when you think about it… that’s what football is, there’s no doubt about it,” he said, referring to the sport considered the world’s most popular, suggesting that American football should “be renamed.” Gianni Infantino greeted these remarks with approving exclamations, taking the opportunity to remind everyone that the 2026 World Cup would be equivalent, in importance, to “104 Super Bowls.”

The ceremony, which began with a song favored by Donald Trump, concluded with the anthem of his last campaign, "YMCA." From his dressing room, the American president rose to perform his famous "Trump Dance," a frenetic and mechanical routine that has become his ritual at political rallies. This final scene illustrated how the lottery drawing was transformed, for one evening, into a strategic showcase for the American president.