OSLO — The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has issued a formal call for the cancellation of FIFA’s controversial “Peace Prize,” arguing that the award is a direct violation of the global football governing body’s core policy of political neutrality.
The backlash follows a highly publicized event in Washington, D.C., last December, where FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the inaugural honor to US President Donald Trump. The move has since sparked widespread criticism across the international sporting community.
Lise Klaveness, President of the Norwegian Football Association, confirmed that the federation is drafting a formal letter demanding an end to the distribution of awards that have no direct correlation to the sport.
“We want this award to be cancelled,” Klaveness told reporters. “We do not consider it to be within FIFA’s mandate to hand out such awards. The Nobel Institute operates independently to fulfill that exact purpose.”
Klaveness further argued that presenting the honor during the World Cup draw ceremony in Washington not only breached FIFA’s strict guidelines on political neutrality but also bypassed necessary internal legal procedures.
In addition to its independent pushback, the NFF announced it will formally back a complaint filed by the human rights advocacy group ‘FairSquare,’ which recently brought the matter before FIFA’s Ethics Committee.
The controversy is expected to be a major talking point at the upcoming FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which begins on April 30, where Klaveness is anticipated to present Norway’s official stance on the global stage.
