What to know about FIFA's new peace prize and who might receive it

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GENEVA (AP) — There is a new worldwide peace prize on the scene and it was created by FIFA, not Nobel.

The world soccer body said this week it would give out an annual prize to reward “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace.”

It gave few details about the prize and there was no indication that potential recipients were limited to the world of sports. That’s prompted broad speculation that it might go to President Donald Trump, who has openly — and so far unsuccessfully — campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Trump have built a strong alliance heading into next year’s World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The pair crossed paths on Wednesday — the day FIFA announced its new prize — in Miami, where they both gave speeches at a conference of business leaders.

Here’s what we know — and what we don’t know — about the prize:

Infantino has previously made clear that he sees Trump as a champion of world peace.

On Oct. 9, the day before this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was announced, he wrote on Instagram that Trump “definitely deserves” the award for his efforts toward a peace deal in Gaza.

The next day, the Nobel laureate was not Trump but María Corina Machado, a pro-democracy activist in Venezuela.

Asked in Miami on Wednesday whether Trump would win the FIFA prize, Infantino laughed and said: “On the 5th of December, you will see.”

The award will be announced on Dec. 5 in Washington when the World Cup draw is held at the Kennedy Center, the arts venue that Trump has reshaped this year.

The date and venue for what is a hugely significant soccer event for players and fans worldwide was revealed in the Oval Office in August.

The draw ceremony will allocate qualifying nations to the 12 four-team groups, setting the schedule for the opening phase of the 104-game tournament being played in 16 cities next June and July. It is where the World Cup tournament, which is played every four years, becomes tangible, where imagined future opponents become real, and travel plans can take shape.

The peace award marks a departure from tradition for the draw, which is typically exclusively focused on soccer.

FIFA has given no details about the process for choosing a winner. The organization did not answer emailed questions Thursday from The Associated Press regarding who will select the winner and what criteria will be used.

Infantino wrote on his Instagram account “it’s fundamental to recognize the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace.”

FIFA earlier stated the award should reward “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”

While FIFA often promotes soccer as a tool for peace and unity, it has never had an official peace prize before.

If Trump wins the FIFA award, it’s likely to add to the perception that it’s been created in response to the U.S. president not winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Few FIFA officials were coming forward on Thursday to discuss planning surrounding the prize.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer