Fifa has dismissed a proposal by US President Donald Trump's special envoy to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, according to sources close to the governing body.
Paolo Zampolli, the US special envoy, told the Financial Times that he had suggested to Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino that Italy take Iran's spot in the tournament. "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," Zampolli said.
However, Fifa indicated no such plan is in motion, pointing to Infantino's recent statement: "The Iranian team is coming, for sure." The governing body's regulations grant it sole discretion over team replacements, but it appears unwilling to act.
The uncertainty over Iran's participation stems from ongoing tensions with the US and Israel, but Iran's government has confirmed it is "fully prepared" to compete. The team is scheduled to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in group matches across the US.
Italy, ranked 12th in the world, failed to qualify for the tournament after a playoff loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina—their third consecutive World Cup absence. Zampolli had made a similar request before the 2022 World Cup when he served as a United Nations ambassador.
Infantino, speaking in Washington, emphasized that sports should remain separate from politics. "We hope that by then the situation will be peaceful," he said. "Iran has to come if they are to represent their people. They have qualified, and they're actually quite a good team. They really want to play, and they should play."
Fifa declined to comment further on Zampolli's proposal.