The idea of removing Iran from the 2026 World Cup to give Italy its place was nothing more than a proposal without regulatory support or sporting support. This Thursday, the initiative attributed to Donald Trump’s entourage met with immediate rejection from FIFA and the Italian authorities themselves. in an episode that once again mixed international politics and football less than two months before the start of the tournament in North America.
The proposal was promoted by Paolo Zampolli, special envoy of the White House and close to Trump, who proposed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino the exclusion of Iran from the tournament and its replacement by Italy, arguing the historical weight of the European team and its commercial appeal.
However, the central point is that Iran is qualified for the 2026 World Cup by sporting merit, having secured its ticket on March 25 by leading its group in the Asian qualifiers. Infantino has reiterated in recent days that the Iranian team is preparing to participate in the tournament and that it will attend despite the regional conflict and political doubts about its presence in US territory.
At the regulatory level, the proposal does not have a viable path either. The 2026 World Cup regulations establish that if a participating association withdraws or is excluded, FIFA will decide at its sole discretion what measure to take, without this implying an automatic pass for Italy. In fact, the most logical option in the event of Iran’s loss would not be the Azzurri but the United Arab Emirates, since FIFA indicates that the replacement should come from the Asian confederation itself, not from Europe.
A forceful rejection from Italy
The response from Italy was even harsher due to a question of competitive pride. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi was direct in pointing out that the proposal “it is neither possible nor appropriate” and? “Classification is achieved on the field of play”remembering that Italy was eliminated in the European play-offs after losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus consummating its third consecutive absence from a World Cup.
The president of the Italian Olympic Committee, Luciano Buonfiglio, stated that he would be offended by such an invitation, while Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti described the idea as shameful.
The controversy also generated reactions in Iran. The Iranian embassy in Rome condemned the proposal and accused the United States of politicizing sport, while Infantino took the opportunity to reiterate his position that sport should stay out of politics. The initiative, linked to the geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran and the discomfort of Iran playing matches on US territory, did not find any favorable response among sports organizations or among the beneficiaries of the proposal.