Italy’s World Cup hopes are not dead yet as Iran uncertainty prompts FIFA contingency talk

April 14, 2026 Aksel Kryhlmand

Italy’s place was lost on the field

According to AP’s report on Italy’s playoff elimination, Italy’s World Cup campaign ended on March 31, 2026, when Bosnia and Herzegovina beat them after a 1 to 1 draw and a 4 to 1 penalty shootout. UEFA’s match report said Moise Kean put Italy ahead before Alessandro Bastoni was sent off, and Bosnia eventually took the spot in the finals. For Italy, it was a third straight failure to reach the World Cup, which explains why the latest discussion is being followed so closely in Rome and far beyond it.

The report that reopened the discussion

Italy are being mentioned again now for a reason that has nothing to do with results on the pitch. According to Chris Nee’s report for FourFourTwo, citing information attributed to The Athletic via RMC Sport, FIFA has discussed a contingency playoff if Iran do not participate in the tournament. In that reported scenario, two teams from Europe and two from Asia would compete for the vacant place instead of FIFA simply naming one replacement side.

Thats important for Italy because, according to Goal’s report by Loai Mohamed, the Azzurri would be strong candidates for one of the European slots if FIFA ever activated that emergency route. Still, that is only a reported contingency at this stage, not an announced FIFA decision and not a place that Italy have already earned. The distinction is important, because the current story is about a possible playoff, not a direct return to the tournament.

FIFA’s public position has not changed

Publicly, FIFA are still saying Iran remain part of the competition. According to ESPN’s report, based on Associated Press reporting, Gianni Infantino said there is no backup plan for Iran’s place and that FIFA will continue supporting the team’s preparation for the tournament. That remains the clearest official line, and it pushes back against the idea that a replacement process is already underway in any formal sense.

The same point is reflected in FIFA’s own tournament material. On FIFA’s official 2026 World Cup schedule page, Iran are still listed in Group G and are scheduled to open against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles, while Belgium and Egypt are also in the group. As of April 14, 2026, that is still the published reality, which is why any talk of Italy returning has to be treated as speculative for now.

Why Italy?

The reason the conversation has not gone away is that Iran’s situation still appears unsettled. According to ESPN’s earlier report, which used reporting from The Associated Press, Iran’s embassy in Mexico said officials were negotiating with FIFA about moving the team’s matches from the United States to Mexico because of safety concerns. Even without a formal withdrawal, that kind of uncertainty is enough to keep contingency planning in the background.

So Italy’s position is awkward, but fairly clear. The team failed to qualify and, as things stand, it is out of the World Cup. But according to the recent reporting that links FIFA’s internal discussions to an emergency playoff, Italy could still become relevant again if Iran’s status changes and the governing body is forced to improvise late in the process.

Sources: AP, UEFA, FourFourTwo, Goal, ESPN, FIFA