Key Points
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee has confirmed 287 candidates for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, including individuals and organisations.
- US President Donald Trump is believed to be among the nominees, though the committee has not confirmed this due to strict confidentiality rules.
- The winner will be announced on 9 October 2026, with the award ceremony set for 10 December in Oslo.
OSLO: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has confirmed that 287 candidates are currently under consideration for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, with US President Donald Trump believed to be among those on the confidential list, according to the committee’s secretary.
Kristian Berg Harpviken, the secretary of the Nobel Committee, said that of all nominations submitted before the January 31 deadline, 208 are individuals while 79 are organisations. He added that this year’s list shows a notably high level of renewal compared with previous years.
“Since I am new in the job, one of the things that has to some extent surprised me is how much renewal there is from year to year on the list,” Harpviken said in an interview, noting that he assumed office in January 2025.
He further stated that despite a global rise in conflicts and growing pressure on international cooperation, the importance of the Peace Prize has not diminished. “The Peace Prize is even more important in a period like the one we’re living in,” he said. “There is as much good work, if not more, than ever.”
However, Harpviken declined to confirm whether Trump was specifically included on the list, emphasising that the full list of nominees remains strictly confidential for 50 years under Nobel rules. He also clarified that a nomination does not represent an endorsement by the committee.
The question of Trump’s nomination has drawn attention after leaders from Pakistan, Israel and Cambodia publicly stated that they had put forward his name.
If these nominations were officially submitted within the spring and summer of 2025, they would be considered valid under the Nobel Committee’s criteria. Nevertheless, there is no independent method to verify such claims due to the secrecy surrounding the process, according to Reuters.
The nomination system allows thousands of individuals globally to propose candidates, including members of governments and parliaments, heads of state, university professors in fields such as history, law, social sciences and philosophy, as well as previous Nobel laureates. In addition, betting markets have already begun circulating potential names for this year’s award.
Among those frequently mentioned are Yulia Navalnaya, wife of the late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny; Pope Leo; and Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, a volunteer humanitarian group.
Separately, Harpviken expressed serious concern over the deteriorating health of 2023 Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist currently imprisoned in Iran. He noted that she recently suffered a heart attack while in custody.
“Her sister was able to visit her in prison yesterday and the reports coming out after that are actually quite alarming as to her health condition,” he said.
He added that international pressure is increasing for her release. “We see there is a lot of international pressure now,” Harpviken stated. “So we hope that the Iranian authorities do pay attention to that and release her so that she can have proper medical treatment.”
In other nominations, Norwegian lawmaker Lars Haltbrekken has proposed US Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Aaja Chemnitz, a Danish parliamentarian from Greenland, citing their efforts to build trust and promote peaceful development in the Arctic region.
The Arctic has drawn increased geopolitical attention this year, particularly amid renewed discussions around US President Trump’s past interest in acquiring Greenland from NATO ally Denmark.
The winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 9, with the formal award ceremony scheduled for December 10. Last year’s prize was awarded to Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado.
