Mehdi Taremi, former FC Porto striker, represents the Iranian national team.
Trump’s envoy called for Iran to be replaced by Italy, which failed to qualify for the third time in a row. FIFA does not accept changing anything in the calendar and Iran now says it is “fully prepared” to go to the game. Here’s everything we know.
Paolo Zampolli, White House envoy, suggested to FIFA President Gianni Infantino that exclusion of Iran in favor of Italy.
“I’m from Italy, it would be a dream to see the azzurri in a tournament in the United States. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion,” Trump’s envoy told But that’s not how it works.
Italian government does not want
The Italian Minister of Sports, Andrea Abodi, said it was neither appropriate nor possible for the Azzurri squad to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
“It is not appropriate. Qualification must be achieved on the field,” Abodi said on the sidelines of a ceremony at the Quirinal Palace in Rome.
What FIFA says
The theme does not appear “for nothing”. The US started a war with Israel against Iran and the conflict, with the World Cup just over a month away, is not resolved.
FIFA keeps Iran in the tournament and has not changed the plan for the group stage games to be held in the USA: the entire calendar remains intact, with Iran’s three group stage games scheduled for the USA. (against New Zealand and then against Belgium, in California, and later in Washington).
Gianni Infantino himself said on April 15 that “the Iranian team will definitely” be present in the competition and that he must play because he qualified sportingly.
What Iran says
Iran has formally requested the games be moved to Mexico, citing security reasons, but so far this has not happened. On April 7, the Iranian Sports Minister said that the relocation request remained valid and that participation would be much more likely if there were security guarantees or a change of headquarters; but a week later, Infantino closed the door again.
After the Iranian government assured that there were “no conditions” to participate, Iran now says “fully prepared” to play in the 2026 World Cup, cites .
USA changed stance
In March, US President Donald Trump said that although the Iranian team was welcome at the tournament, he questioned whether it was appropriate for them to participate, citing concerns for the “life and safety” of the players.
But Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA World Cup task force, later said that the president “invited the Iranian team to come”,
There is also an important point about visas: In January, the Trump administration extended exceptions to the entry restrictions regime for athletes, coaches and essential personnel at major events, including the World Cup and the Olympics. Therefore, the team itself has a legal route of entry. But that doesn’t solve everything: journalists, fans and other travelers from countries covered by restrictions may continue to have problems.
The Iranian team directly secured its place at the World Cup in March, after winning its group in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers.
The regulations of football’s highest governing body stipulate that, in case of withdrawal of a qualified team, the organization is free to designate their replacement.
Italy, world champion in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 and finalist in 1970 and 1994, will be absent from the finals for the fifth time, the third in a row, after being for Bosnia-Herzegovina in the European qualifying play-off for the football World Cup, to be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
