US special envoy Paolo Zampolli suggested to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump that Iran be replaced by Italy in the 2026 World Cup, according to people familiar with the matter.
He argued that the Italian team’s four world titles would justify the team’s inclusion, despite the non-sport classification.
The plan was also presented as an attempt to reconnect Trump with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following recent disagreements between the two, the sources said.
The proposal comes after Italy was left out of the World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The elimination in the play-offs caused a political crisis in Italian football, with the resignation of the president of the federation.
Zampolli confirmed the initiative. “I confirm that I suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran in the World Cup. I am Italian by birth and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri in a US-based tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion,” he told the Financial Times.
Iran, in turn, stated that it was prepared to compete in the tournament. In March, the country had indicated that it might not participate following US and Israeli airstrikes, citing security concerns for its athletes, but later backtracked.
FIFA declined to comment on the lobbying, but pointed to recent statements by Gianni Infantino. “The Iranian team will come, for sure,” said the FIFA president at a conference in Washington. “We hope that by then the situation will be peaceful. Iran has to come if they want to represent their people. They have qualified and must play.”
The United States Department of State stated: “The Trump administration is doing everything necessary to support a successful World Cup, while upholding American law and the highest standards of national security and public safety in conducting our visa process.”
Infantino, who is Swiss-Italian, also met with the Iranian team before a match in Turkey at the end of March and said afterwards that FIFA would “support the team to ensure the best possible conditions as they prepare for the World Cup”.
Iran qualified as one of eight Asian Football Confederation teams, while Italy missed out on one of 16 European places, marking the third consecutive World Cup without the team. Italy is currently 12th in the FIFA rankings, the highest among teams that did not qualify.
FIFA regulations give the entity “exclusive discretion” to decide what action to take if classified teams withdraw. “FIFA may decide to replace the participating member association in question with another association,” the rules state. Before the Club World Cup, the entity already used this power to grant a place to Inter Miami.
Meloni has been one of Trump’s closest European allies, avoiding criticism even over controversial actions such as threats to Greenland and attacks on Iran.
Trump, however, publicly criticized Meloni last week, after she condemned as “unacceptable” a post she posted on the Truth Social network against Pope Leo XIV, amid criticism in Italy.
In interviews, Trump also said he was “shocked” by Italy’s lack of cooperation regarding its use of military bases in Sicily during operations in Iran, saying he believed Meloni “had courage, but he was wrong.”
In Italy, there is opposition to the war, with an impact on fuel and food prices. Analysts point out that Meloni’s alignment with Trump has been generating internal political wear and tear.
