US asks FIFA to replace Iran with Italy ahead of 2026 Wold Cup - report
According to a report by the Financial Times, the proposal is part of an effort to bridge gaps between US's Trump and Italy's Meloni after a month of diplomatic fallout
A senior envoy for President Trump has proposed that FIFA replace the Iranian national team with Italy in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Special envoy Paolo Zampolli submitted the suggestion to both the President and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, arguing that Italy’s status as a four-time world champion justifies their inclusion despite the team’s failure to qualify through the standard sporting process, sources told The Financial Times.
On the pitch, Italy is currently enduring a historic sporting crisis. The "Azzurri" failed to qualify for their third consecutive World Cup following a decisive penalty-shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a March playoff.
The defeat led to the immediate resignation of the president of the Italian Football Federation and widespread calls for a total overhaul of the national program. Despite this, Zampolli’s pitch relies on the "prestige and history" of the Italian team rather than their recent performance.
Tehran said earlier that the Iranian national team has no intention of withdrawing and remains fully prepared for the June tournament. Under current FIFA regulations, the governing body maintains sole discretion to replace teams that withdraw, but there is no clear precedent for removing a qualified nation based on political pressure or external conflict.
This proposal arrives during a period of significant friction between the White House and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The relationship between the two leaders cooled recently following President Trump’s verbal attacks on Pope Leo XIV, who has consistently called for an end to the "Operation Epic Fury" campaign against Iran.
Meloni characterized the President’s rhetoric toward the Pope as unacceptable, creating a rare public rift between the allies. The proposal to switch Iran out for Italy is part of an attempt to brdige the gap between Trump and Melonie, sources told The Financial Times.