Paolo Zampolli to Donald Trump: “Iran should be replaced with Italy at World Cup”

April 24, 2026 Aksel Kryhlmand

FIFA has confirmed that they don't have any set plans to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, despite a proposal from a US special envoy.

The suggestion, put forward by Paolo Zampolli, came amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding Iran's participation due to geopolitical tensions and Italy's failure to qualify for the tournament.

A politically charged proposal

Paolo Zampolli, who previously served as a special envoy for US president Donald Trump, presented his idea to both Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

According to FT.com, the proposal was also intended as an effort to mend ties between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following a fallout over Trump's criticisms of Pope Leo XIV regarding the Iran war.

Zampolli, an Italian native, expressed his personal motivation for the audacious swap. "I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. 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," he told FT.com.

Italy, a footballing powerhouse and four-time World Cup champion, has notably failed to qualify for their third successive World Cup, having been defeated by Bosnia and Herzegovina in a play-off last month.

Fifa's firm stance

Despite the political maneuvering and Italy's prestigious history, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has unequivocally confirmed Iran's participation. "The Iranian team is coming, for sure," Infantino stated, as reported by BBC Sport.

He elaborated on FIFA's philosophy, adding, "We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful (one). That would definitely help. But Iran has to come if they are to represent their people. They have qualified, and they're actually quite a good team as well. They really want to play, and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics."

Under FIFA's World Cup regulations, the world governing body holds "sole discretion" on how to proceed if a team withdraws or is excluded. Article six of these regulations states that "Fifa may decide to replace the Participating Member Association in question with another association."

Iran's participation has faced ongoing uncertainty due to the war with the US and Israel.

In March, Iran had initially stated it would not take part in the tournament, citing safety concerns after US and Israeli air strikes.

However, Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani later said Iran was "fully prepared" to participate, according to Al Jazeera. The Iranian football federation had also previously been "negotiating" with FIFA to relocate the country's matches to Mexico.

The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, begins on June 11. Iran's scheduled matches are:

June 15: vs New Zealand in Los Angeles
June 21: vs Belgium in Los Angeles
June 26: vs Egypt in Seattle

This is not the first time Zampolli has made such a request; he made a similar suggestion to FIFA for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar when he was a United Nations ambassador.

Sources: www.bbc.com, www.ft.com