Socceroos vice-captain Jackson Irvine has strongly criticised FIFA's decision to award its inaugural peace prize to US President Donald Trump, calling it a mockery of the organisation's human rights policy.
The German-based midfielder expressed his dismay over the honour, which was presented by FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the men's World Cup draw in December last year. Trump was selected after being overlooked by the Nobel Foundation in October.
Infantino praised Trump for delivering 'peace and unity' ahead of the US co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico. The tournament is expected to be the most expensive sporting event in history.
However, Irvine highlighted the contradiction in the award, noting that Trump ordered the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a month after the draw and launched joint air strikes with Israel on Iran without direct congressional approval on February 28.
'As an organisation, you would have to say decisions like the one that we saw awarding this peace prize makes a mockery of what they're trying to do with the human rights charter and trying to use football as a global driving force for good and positive change in the world,' Irvine told Reuters.
'Decisions like that feel like they just set us back in the perceived market of what football currently is, especially at the top level where it's becoming so disconnected from society and the grassroots of what the game actually is and means in our communities and in the world.'
The 33-year-old St Pauli captain, known for his progressive stance, has long been a vocal advocate for humanitarian issues. He previously called for the decriminalisation of same-sex relationships in a video ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Irvine also urged Trump to ensure the safety of minority groups during the 2026 tournament, saying: 'It's not an issue just in the Middle East, in America we're seeing more and more of the rights of these communities being taken away all over the country. We have to sincerely hope that we see a lot of open support in that space as well.'
Additionally, Irvine criticised the English Football Association's ban on transgender women in women's football, describing it as hypocritical. The FA's decision, announced in May last year, affects grassroots players under the Equality Act following a UK Supreme Court ruling.
Irvine responded on social media: 'Football deserves better. Our game is for everyone.'
