Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The world football governing body Fifa has firmly dismissed a proposal by a special envoy of United States President Donald Trump to replace Iran with Italy at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, reaffirming that the Islamic Republic will take its place at the tournament this summer after qualifying on merit. The proposal was made by Paolo Zampolli, Trump's special envoy for global partnerships, who confirmed to the Financial Times that he had suggested to the US president and Fifa president Gianni Infantino that Italy should replace Iran, citing the four‑time world champions' pedigree. Zampolli, an Italian native, told the newspaper: "I'm an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion."
Fifa did not issue an official statement on the proposal but instead pointed to recent comments by Infantino, who stated unequivocally that Iran would compete. Speaking in Washington last week, Infantino said: "The Iranian team is coming, for sure." He added that sports should be kept separate from politics, noting that Iran had earned its place through qualification and that the players wanted to compete. The 2026 World Cup, which will be co‑hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams. Iran qualified for a fourth successive World Cup and was drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with all three of its group‑stage matches scheduled to take place in the United States.
The proposal attracted immediate and sharp criticism from both Iranian and Italian officials. Iran's embassy in Rome condemned the suggestion on X, stating: "Italy has earned its greatness in football on the pitch, not thanks to political privileges. The attempt to exclude Iran from the World Cup only reveals the 'moral bankruptcy' of the United States, which is afraid even of the presence of eleven young Iranians on the field of play." Italian officials also rejected the idea outright. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the proposal "shameful," while Sports Minister Andrea Abodi told reporters: "First of all, it's not possible. Secondly, it's not a good idea. You qualify on the pitch." Luciano Buonfiglio, president of the Italian Olympic Committee, said he would feel "offended" if Italy were allowed to participate under such circumstances, stressing that a World Cup place must be earned.
Iran's participation in the tournament had been in doubt since the outbreak of war between the United States and Israel on February 28, 2026. In March, Iran's sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, announced that Iran would not take part, citing safety concerns. However, the country later reversed its position. On Wednesday, Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed that Iran was "fully prepared" to participate, adding that the Ministry of Youth and Sports had ordered the team to make all necessary arrangements. The team is scheduled to arrive at its training camp in Arizona no later than June 10, five days before its opening match against New Zealand on June 15.
Italy, meanwhile, failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive tournament. The Azzurri lost a play‑off final on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March, extending a drought that has seen Italy absent from the world's biggest football event since 2014. Italy have not won a World Cup knockout match since their triumph in 2006. Under Fifa regulations, the governing body has sole discretion to replace a team that withdraws or is excluded from the competition. However, Fifa sources have indicated that there are no plans to replace Iran with Italy, with any replacement more likely to come from the Asian confederation should Iran pull out.
Zampolli's proposal also drew condemnation from across the political spectrum in Italy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has clashed with Trump over his comments about Pope Leo XIV, has not publicly commented on the proposal, but her ministers were unequivocal. The proposal was widely seen as an attempt to smooth over diplomatic tensions between the United States and Italy following the dispute over the pope, but it backfired spectacularly. The Iranian government, for its part, has framed its participation as a matter of national pride. "The Ministry of Youth and Sports made an announcement about the full preparedness of our national football team for presence in the 2026 World Cup in the US, by the order of the minister," Mohajerani said.
As the tournament draws closer, Fifa has made it clear that the integrity of the qualifying process must be respected. Infantino has consistently stressed that Iran earned its place and that the team should be allowed to compete. Speaking about the situation last week, he said: "We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful one. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come if they are to represent their people. They have qualified, and they're actually quite a good team as well. They really want to play, and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics." The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, with matches taking place across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament begins on June 11 and will conclude with the final on July 19.
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