Infantino says football can heal conflict, critics say gesture is more PR than peace

US President Donald Trump officially brought to life his vision of a Board of Peace at the beginning of 2026. Its mandate? To “end decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed and forge a beautiful, everlasting and glorious peace” in Gaza and the world in general, according to the man himself.

On 19 February 2026, the players in the board – which is chaired by Trump – converged in Washington DC. In total, the Board of Peace currently has 26 member states. This includes nations such as Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Argentina, El Salvador, Paraguay and the US are also part of the newly formed organisation. As are Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia and Vietnam.

According to Trump, the Board of Peace “will prove to be the most consequential international body in history”.

Although its main focus is on a global scale, thus potentially stepping on and undermining the authority of the United Nations (UN), the initial focus of the board is on permanently eradicating the fighting in Gaza and providing humanitarian aid in the region.

Fifa loves Trump

Global soccer’s governing body Fifa created the Fifa Peace Prize award in 2025, with its first recipient being Trump – who was still sulking about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

However, Fifa and its president, Gianni Infantino, were considerate enough to hand Trump a consolatory peace prize. Infantino said Trump was the first recipient of the newly formed prize due to his “exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world”.

“This is what we want from a leader; a leader that cares about the people. We want to live in a safe world, in a safe environment. We want to unite,” Infantino fawned as he handed Trump the 'award' during the 2026 soccer World Cup draw ceremony in December 2025.

At the time Infantino cited Trump’s role in facilitating a peace treaty between Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, which was supposed to end years of border conflict between the two nations. Nevertheless, tensions between the two neighbours persist.

As of February 2026, the US also has naval and aerial forces hovering near Iran. These deployments amount to one of the largest build-ups in the region since the US’ 2003 invasion of Iraq and are a part of Trump’s strategy to coerce the Iranian regime into discontinuing its nuclear programme. In 2025, Iran exchanged blows with Israel over the events currently unfolding in Gaza.

Fifa and Board of Peace partnership

Fifa and Infantino have placed themselves at the centre of these issues and Trump’s ambition to establish himself as the greatest president in the history of humanity.

They did this by signing what they term a “landmark partnership agreement to actively source investment from international leaders and institutions harnessing the power of football to support recovery, stability and long-term development in conflict-affected regions”.

“Fifa and the Board of Peace have signed a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post-conflict areas,” said Infantino following the signature ceremony.

“Fifa wants as many people as possible around the world to participate in our game and benefit from the opportunities it creates. Football brings people together and contributes to a more prosperous, educated, equal and peaceful world. Together with the support of the Board of Peace, Fifa will drive this partnership that is built to deliver impact at every stage,” the Fifa boss said.

“When rebuilding after conflict, we must not only build houses, roads, hospitals and schools. But [we must] also rebuild emotions, trust and belief. Through this partnership, Fifa will help restore and develop the football ecosystem in Gaza to start with, creating safe spaces to play and pathways for young people to experience the happiness and hope that football brings,” he said.

Fifa’s Gaza plans

According to Fifa, the first phase of the collaboration aims to provide a comprehensive recovery programme for Gaza, combining physical reconstruction with social and economic activation.

The infrastructure plan includes 50 Fifa Arena mini-pitches located near schools and residential areas, five full-size pitches across multiple districts, a state-of-the-art Fifa academy and a new 20,000-seat national stadium.

Alongside construction, Fifa says its collaboration with the Board of Peace will prioritise job creation, workforce upskilling, youth participation, organised leagues for girls and boys, community engagement and the stimulation of local commercial activity in the targeted regions.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was initially unaware of Infantino’s presence at the board’s first official meeting.

After journalists brought it to her attention at a Winter Olympic Games press conference, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said they would investigate the details and find out whether Fifa, as a member of the global Olympic body, had flouted any laws through this Board of Peace partnership.

IOC probe

An International Olympic Committee representative has since said no laws were broken by Fifa and Infantino.

“The IOC has been in contact with Fifa,” a spokesperson told Reuters. “We understand that Fifa is supporting, through football, a comprehensive sport recovery investment programme in Gaza by providing sporting infrastructure, education and elite development proposals.

“This is entirely in keeping with the role of an international sport federation. The IOC, through Olympic Solidarity (which is our development vehicle), has been and continues to support sport development in the region,” the spokesperson said.

This move by Fifa and Infantino to join the Board of Peace has been branded hypocritical by some, especially as Infantino is the subject of a legal challenge by Palestinian footballers, clubs and advocacy organisations such as Irish Sport for Palestine, Scottish Sport for Palestine, Just Peace Advocates and Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

Infantino and Uefa President Aleksander Čeferin have been accused of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity for their failure to ban Israel from global and European competitions. This despite excluding Russia from similar contests following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. DM