A total of 287 candidates are under consideration for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said Thursday, with US President Donald Trump likely among the nominees, Reuters reported.
Kristian Berg Harpviken said this year’s list includes 208 individuals and 79 organizations. He also noted that the committee has seen many new names compared with last year.
Harpviken, who became secretary of the committee in January 2025, said the level of change in the annual nomination list had surprised him. He said there was more renewal from year to year than he had expected.
Despite rising conflicts around the world and growing pressure on international cooperation, Harpviken said the Peace Prize remains highly relevant. He added that peace work continues across the world, even during a difficult global period.
Trump May Be on the List
The leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan have said they nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. If those nominations were submitted in spring and summer 2025, they would be valid because the deadline for nominations was Jan. 31.
However, the committee will not confirm whether Trump is officially on the list. Nobel Peace Prize nominations remain secret for 50 years, and Harpviken declined to say whether Trump had been nominated.
A nomination also does not mean the Nobel Committee supports or endorses the nominee.
Thousands of people around the world can submit names for the Peace Prize. Eligible nominators include members of governments and parliaments, current heads of state, university professors in fields such as history, social sciences, law and philosophy, and former Nobel Peace Prize winners.
Possible Nominees
Several names have appeared on betting platforms as possible 2026 Nobel Peace Prize contenders. They include Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Pope Leo and Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, a volunteer aid organization.
Reuters also reported that US Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Aaja Chemnitz, a Danish parliament member elected from Greenland, could be among the nominees.
Norwegian lawmaker Lars Haltbrekken said he nominated both Murkowski and Chemnitz. He said they had worked for years to build trust and support peaceful development in the Arctic region.
Greenland has drawn increased attention this year because of Trump’s continued push to acquire the island from Denmark, a NATO ally.
Winner Will Be Announced in October
The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner will be announced on Oct. 9. The award ceremony will take place on Dec. 10.
Last year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado, Reuters reported.
