Jackson Irvine Condemns FIFA Peace Prize to Trump as 'A Complete Mockery'

"Decisions like that make it feel like we're just moving backward." Jackson Irvine isn't holding back his criticism, and considering FIFA's December actions, it's difficult to suggest he should tone it down.

The FC St. Pauli midfielder and Professional Footballers Australia Co-President has publicly slammed FIFA's recently created Peace Prize — presented to Donald Trump by Gianni Infantino during the World Cup draw — calling it "a mockery." The 33-year-old Australian told Reuters the move contradicts FIFA's own human rights charter and widens the already massive divide between football's governing body and the communities the sport claims to represent.

Irvine's criticism isn't happening in isolation. Norway Football Association president Lise Klaveness has demanded the prize be "abolished" completely, arguing FIFA lacks both the authority and the governance framework to distribute political honours without proper oversight. Her concerns about process are valid: FIFA's own Council wasn't even consulted before Infantino unveiled the prize — a detail The Athletic confirmed in their reporting. This isn't just a minor procedural issue. It reveals everything you need to know about how this decision came together.

Infantino's Trump allegiance raises serious questions

Infantino's comments during the presentation ceremony were extraordinary. "You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action... You can always count, Mr President, on my support, on the support of the entire football community." This represented a FIFA president offering personal loyalty to a sitting head of state — specifically, the leader of a nation co-hosting the tournament. The conflict of interest couldn't be more obvious.

The Peace Prize was established in November 2025, mere weeks after Trump didn't receive the Nobel Peace Prize he'd been openly campaigning for. The timing alone should have stopped this initiative in its tracks. Yet Infantino proceeded without council authorization and presented Trump with a trophy and medal on stage at the World Cup draw.

For an organization that publishes a human rights charter and constantly promotes football as a "force for good," this represents a credibility crisis that won't simply fade away.

Irvine raises specific LGBTQI+ safety concerns

Beyond criticizing the prize itself, Irvine voiced direct worries about the safety and inclusion of LGBTQI+ supporters and players at a tournament taking place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada this summer. He was unambiguous: "In America, we're seeing more and more the rights of these communities put into question... these people and their rights are being taken away all over the country."

This isn't Irvine simply repeating talking points. Four years ago, he organized his Socceroos teammates to record a video challenging Qatar's treatment of same-sex couples and migrant workers ahead of that World Cup. He delivered on his principles then. His current statements carry credibility because of that established record.

Australia are placed in Group D with the USA, Paraguay, and Türkiye. Irvine begins his third World Cup campaign on June 13 against Türkiye at BC Place in Vancouver — meaning he'll be competing in the host country while these controversies remain very much unresolved. Whether FIFA will provide any substantive response by then remains an open question.