Trump’s special envoy, Paolo Zampolli, is said to have presented this idea to FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, according to The Financial Times. The proposal suggests that Italy should occupy Iran’s spot in the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Zampolli reportedly contended that Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, possesses the credentials to warrant inclusion despite their failure to qualify after the Azzurri missed out during the qualification rounds.
“I can confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. As an Italian native, it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion,” Zampolli stated.
Meanwhile, Iran has asserted that it is fully prepared for the 2026 World Cup and intends to participate.
Speaking at a conference in Washington last week, Infantino remarked: “The Iranian team is coming, for sure. We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be peaceful. That would definitely help. But Iran must come to represent their people. They have qualified… They genuinely want to play, and they should play.”
In March, Iran suggested that it might not participate in the 2026 World Cup following the escalation of the Iran–Israel conflict, after the US and Israel reportedly launched a unilateral military operation on Tehran, resulting in the death of the country’s top leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials. Consequently, Iran expressed security concerns, particularly regarding its players traveling to the United States.
Trump stated that Iranian footballers would be “welcome” in the US, but also cautioned that it might be unsafe for them to travel.
People familiar with the situation noted that the proposal to include Italy was also aimed at easing tensions between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, following disputes connected to the Iran conflict and Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV.
Iran has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup as one of the eight teams from the Asian Football Confederation. In contrast, Italy failed to qualify from Europe, where 16 spots were available.
This marks the third consecutive World Cup that Italy has missed. Despite this, they are currently ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, making them the highest-ranked team not participating in the tournament.
