President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA peace prize on Friday during the draw for the 2026 World Cup, adding a distinctly Trump-centered moment to an event typically focused on tournament groupings.

Trump who has long expressed interest in being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize had widely been viewed as the frontrunner for FIFA’s new honor. FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a strong supporter of Trump, previously argued that Trump should have earned the Nobel for his role in efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza.

As he presented the award, Infantino told Trump it was a “beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.” Trump immediately placed the medal around his neck. The official certificate given to Trump cites the U.S. president’s work to “promote peace and unity around the world.”

Infantino also gave Trump a personalized gold trophy featuring hands lifting the globe. “You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way,” Infantino said.

In a short speech, Trump thanked his family, including first lady Melania Trump, and applauded the leaders of the other two host nations, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, noting that coordination among the countries has been “outstanding.”

“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said, adding, “most important, I just want to thank everybody. The world is a safer place now.”

Although Infantino often frames soccer as a tool for global unity, the creation of a peace prize marks a significant shift from FIFA’s usual sports-centric mission.

FIFA has not disclosed how the recipient was chosen, and when Infantino unveiled the idea last month, several high-level officials were surprised, learning of it only through media coverage.

The FIFA president was also present Thursday at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, where Trump joined leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to sign an agreement intended to bring an end to conflict in eastern Congo.

The award to Trump comes as his administration has spent the week engaged in diplomatic efforts to halt the war in Ukraine, while simultaneously facing scrutiny over deadly strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and as Trump intensifies his rhetoric on immigration.

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, who said upon receiving the honor that she was dedicating part of it to Trump for “his decisive support of our cause.”