A special envoy of former U.S. President Donald Trump has formally requested that FIFA replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing Italy’s historical success and current geopolitical tensions involving Iran.
The request was made by Paolo Zampolli, identified as a special envoy for global partnerships under the Trump administration, who confirmed to the Financial Times that he had approached both Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino with the proposal to swap Iran’s qualification spot for Italy’s.
Zampolli, an Italian national, framed the appeal as a personal and national aspiration, stating that seeing the Italian national team, the Azzurri, compete in a World Cup hosted primarily by the United States would fulfill a lifelong dream. He emphasized Italy’s four World Cup titles as justification for the substitution, arguing that the nation’s pedigree warrants direct entry despite failing to qualify through conventional means.
The envoy referenced prior efforts to achieve the same outcome, noting that he had pursued a similar initiative during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, acting in his former capacity as a United Nations ambassador amid regional tensions involving Iran at that time. Those earlier attempts were directed at Infantino through formal correspondence but did not result in any change to the qualification framework.
Italy’s absence from the 2026 tournament stems from a disappointing performance in the UEFA qualification playoffs, where the Azzurri were eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina following a penalty shootout after the European qualifiers. This marked the second consecutive World Cup cycle in which Italy failed to secure qualification, having as well missed the 2018 and 2022 editions after strong showings in previous tournaments.
Geopolitical context surrounding Iran’s participation has been shaped by ongoing diplomatic strains between the United States and Iran, which have led to public skepticism from Trump regarding the safety of Iranian players and fans attending events hosted on American soil. Trump has previously stated that he cannot guarantee the security of Iranian participants should the tournament proceed amid heightened bilateral tensions.
In contrast, Gianni Infantino has maintained a firm stance on Iran’s eligibility, asserting that the nation has satisfied all sporting and administrative requirements for qualification and remains set to participate in the 2026 World Cup regardless of external political pressures. The FIFA president has consistently emphasized the separation of sport from geopolitical disputes in his public remarks on the matter.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across three nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—with matches scheduled in various cities throughout the host countries. Italy’s path to future participation will require re-entry through the standard UEFA qualification process, with the next opportunity arising in the cycle leading to the 2030 World Cup.
As of now, no official response has been issued by FIFA regarding the envoy’s request, and the qualification standings for the 2026 tournament remain unchanged, with Iran retaining its allocated slot from the Asian Football Confederation.
For ongoing updates on the 2026 World Cup qualification process, team preparations, and tournament developments, fans are encouraged to consult official FIFA communications and trusted sports news outlets.
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