The Albany Gazette - Peace medal and YMCA: Trump steals the show at World Cup draw

The FIFA 2026 World Cup draw was officially about football, but really it was all about Donald Trump.

The US president and former reality TV star stole the show Friday from the moment he strolled down the red carpet of the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Sticking to his side like glue was the global soccer body's boss Gianni Infantino, who has fostered close ties with Trump during both his terms in office, and ensured that the spotlight was on the US president from start to finish.

Trump is hardly a stranger to bombast, but even he looked a little lost for words at one point as, after a slick video pronounced him the inaugural winner of FIFA's new Peace Prize, Infantino waxed lyrical about his achievements.

"Mr President, this is your prize. This is your peace prize," he said, before adding with a chuckle: "There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go."

Trump proceeded to put the gong around his neck. "I'm going to wear it right now," he said.

- Three amigos -

It was an act of consummate flattery by Infantino -- who has faced criticism for his close ties to a number of authoritarian leaders -- playing on Trump's chagrin for not winning the Nobel Peace Prize nearly two months earlier.

The award comes despite criticism from rights groups that it overlooks Trump's hardline migration policy, his sending of troops into several US cities, and his military build-up near Venezuela.

Trump faced mockery over the award from the office of Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California and likely 2028 presidential candidate, which posted a picture of a child's medal with a smiling star saying: "If you had fun, you won! PARTICIPATION."

But Trump was unfazed. He even mused about renaming American football to avoid confusion with the sport in question Friday -- known as soccer in the United States but football in most of the rest of the world.

Even more surreal moments were yet to come.

Infantino summoned Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on stage together as leaders of the three North American neighbors co-hosting the tournament.

Their appearance had been billed as a moment of sporting diplomacy amid tensions over Trump's tariffs, his proposal to annex Canada, and his suggestions that US forces could launch missile strikes on alleged drug traffickers in Mexico.

- 'This is shocking' -

Instead it ended up looking like a TV game show. The leaders stood in front of colored desks and opened up balls with the first names of the teams in the draw.

The Canadian premier drew Canada. Mexico's president drew Mexico.

But there was only one center of attention. "I think I know what this is going to be now," Trump said to laughter in the hall. "This is shocking," he said as he held up a strip of paper saying USA.

Then they posed for a selfie with Infantino, who posted it on Instagram with the caption: "Football unites the world."

Trump had been due to leave the ceremony after an hour yet appeared to be enjoying himself so much that he stayed in the auditorium for an hour more while the draw finished, sitting and chatting with Carney and Sheinbaum.

Then he stayed on a bit more. The Village People were on stage playing his signature tune, "Y.M.C.A."

As he did during many campaign rallies in 2024, Trump rose to his feet and danced his signature dance. Sheinbaum and Carney remained seated.

The three leaders however met behind the scenes afterwards for talks aimed at smoothing out their differences.

Trump finished off his visit with a tour of the Kennedy Center, where he installed himself this year as chairman in what he called a war on "woke" culture.

On Thursday, Trump had referred to it as the "Trump-Kennedy Center," before adding: "Whoops, excuse me."

(T.Martin--TAG)