Neither FIFA nor Italy supported the proposal by US Special Envoy Paolo Zampolli to replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 North American World Cup. Born in Italy, the US government’s Special Envoy for Global Affairs confirmed to the British newspaper Financial Times that he suggested this possibility to US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
According to the British network BBC, FIFA, the governing body of football and responsible for the tournament, dismissed the idea and said it would only consider a replacement if qualified Iran relinquished its place. In March, Infantino had said that “the matches will be played where they are scheduled to be played, according to the draw”.
“Iran has to come. They represent their people, they qualified, and the players want to play,” he later stated in mid-April during an economic conference organized by the CNBC television channel in Washington.
Italy was more vehement. The team’s coach, Gianni De Biasi, said that if Iran does not participate in the tournament, the spot should go to the team that finishes second to Iran in the qualifiers. “I believe Italy doesn’t need Trump’s support on a matter like this. I think we can manage on our own,” he stated.
Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said the proposal is “shameful,” and Sports Minister Andrea Abodi stated that “first, it’s not possible; second, it’s not appropriate … You qualify on the field.”
The World Cup in North America will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.
The origin of the idea
In 2022, after the Nazionale failed to qualify for the Qatar World Cup, Zampolli had already suggested that FIFA disqualify Iran – citing the violence of police repression in the country – and reinstate Italy. He was unsuccessful.
“I am Italian by birth and it would be a dream to see the ‘Azzurra’ in a tournament hosted by the United States. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify their inclusion,” Zampolli said, confirming that he had communicated the idea to Trump and Infantino.
Zampolli’s idea is part of an effort to rebuild ties between Trump and Giorgia Meloni, after the Italian prime minister distanced herself from the US leader due to his attacks directed at Pope Leo XIV regarding the war in Iran, as reported by the Financial Times.
The Iranian embassy in Rome responded by stating that the proposal demonstrated the “moral bankruptcy” of the United States and that Italy did not need “political privileges” to prove its greatness in football.
Italy has won the World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006), but missed out on the tournament for the third consecutive time after losing a penalty shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final round of the European qualifying playoffs.
At the start of the conflict in West Asia, triggered by the United States and Israel on February 28, Iran mentioned a “boycott” of the competition, before requesting that FIFA transfer its games from the United States to Mexico.
FIFA regulations give the organization the sole authority to determine the measures to be taken if a team – in this case, Iran – withdraws.
The Iranian national team has three matches scheduled in Group G: in Los Angeles against New Zealand (June 16) and Belgium (June 21), and then in Seattle against Egypt (June 27). Their training base is expected to be in Tucson, Arizona.
First published by Brasil de Fato in Portuguese.
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