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An envoy to President Donald Trump has lobbied FIFA to replace Iran at this summer’s World Cup with former champions Italy, who failed to qualify for the third successive time last month, according to a report.
Iran’s participation in the World Cup, jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has been cast into doubt by the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on the country that erupted on February 28, which prompted a wave of retaliatory strikes by Tehran on its Gulf neighbor states and has driven up global oil prices.
Paolo Zampolli, a U.S. special envoy, confirmed to The Financial Times that he had floated the idea of the tournament’s four-time winners taking Iran’s spot to Trump and to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a fellow official with Italian roots.
open image in gallery U.S. Special Representative for Global Partnerships Paolo Zampolli has confirmed that he suggested to President Donald Trump that Italy replace Iran at this summer's World Cup ( AFP/Getty )
“I’m an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a U.S.-hosted tournament,” he told the FT. “With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion.”
Zampolli’s suggestion came as part of an effort to rebuild relations between the U.S. and Italy, which have been impacted by Trump criticizing Pope Leo XIV over his opposition to the war and offending Catholics with an AI meme of himself as Jesus Christ, gestures that invited pushback from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, among many others.
Iran’s men’s national team is set to play all three of its initial group games on American soil, beginning with a clash against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by matches against Belgium and Egypt.
Should Iran and the U.S. team finish second in their respective groups and reach the last 32, they could end up playing each other in Dallas, Texas, a fixture that would inevitably be framed as a proxy for the conflict, akin to the fierce clashes that took place at the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and Russian ice hockey teams.
open image in gallery FIFA President Gianni Infantino presenting President Donald Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize last year ( Getty )
Trump has so far given mixed signals on Iran’s participation, stating that on one hand they were “welcome” but on the other it would be “inappropriate” for them to take part “for their life and safety.”
Iran responded to his latter comments by saying it was the U.S. that should be “excluded,” not them.
Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. had indefinitely extended a ceasefire with Iran while efforts to agree a lasting peace continue but has maintained its blockade on the country’s ports.
Infantino said in an interview with CNBC last week that Iran would compete at the World Cup “for sure,” after attending a friendly against Turkey last month.
“We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful [one],” the official said.
open image in gallery Distraught Italian players react to being knocked out of World Cup qualifying by Bosnia-Herzegovina ( AP )
“That would definitely help. But Iran has to come if they are to represent their people. They have qualified… They really want to play, and they should play.”
FIFA’s regulations leave the governing body “sole discretion” to decide what action to take if a side withdraws. “FIFA may decide to replace the participating member association in question with another association,” its rules state.
Italy missed out on qualification after another penalty shoot-out defeat, this time to Bosnia-Herzegovina, in a play-off last month, an outcome regarded as nothing less than a national crisis at home.
The result led to the immediate resignations of coach Gennaro Gattuso, delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon, and Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina.