A senior envoy of US President Donald Trump has asked the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) to replace Iran with Italy in the next world championship, according to the newspaper this Thursday. Financial Times.
The plan seeks to mend relations between the Republican and the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, after the estrangement between the two as a result of the American president’s attacks against Pope Leo XIV over the war with Iran, reported the FTciting people familiar with the matter.
“I confirm that I have suggested to Trump and the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, that Italy replace Iran in the World Cup. I am Italian and it would be a dream to see the Italian team in a tournament organized by the United States. With four titles, they have the necessary track record to justify their inclusion,” declared the special envoy of the United States, Paolo Zampolli, to the aforementioned media.
The White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) did not immediately respond to requests for comment from agencies such as Reuters.
Mazazo saves the Blue Team
Italy suffered a blow in March when the national team was knocked out of the World Cup for the third consecutive time after losing 4-1 on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final.
Iran qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup last year, but after the war broke out it asked FIFA to move its three group matches from the United States to Mexico.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated during a visit to the Iranian national team’s camp in Turkey last month that all matches would go ahead as planned, and offered the team help with preparation for the tournament.
“We are preparing and organizing for the World Cup, but we abide by the decisions of the authorities,” the president of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj, told reporters at a pro-government rally in Tehran on Wednesday. “For now, the decision is that the national team is fully prepared for the World Cup,” they insist.
The decision on which country would fill the spot if the Iranian government withdrew the team falls to FIFA, which, under Article Six of the World Cup regulations, has the power to call up any nation it deems appropriate to fill the vacancy.
The AFC is expected to push hard for the replacement to come from Asia, with the United Arab Emirates, who lost the qualifying play-off against Iraq last November, the most obvious choice.
However, the United Arab Emirates do not have anywhere near the football history of Italy, having only participated in one edition of the World Cup, in 1990, where they lost all three matches.
The World Cup, which Mexico and Canada also organize, begins on June 11, and four days later Iran is scheduled to begin its journey against New Zealand in Los Angeles.
