FIFA reiterates Iran’s World Cup qualification

FIFA has ruled out any immediate plans to replace Iran with Italy at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite a proposal made by a special envoy linked to US President Donald Trump. 

The issue surfaced amid continued concerns over Iran’s participation because of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel ahead of the tournament scheduled to begin in June.

US special envoy Paolo Zampolli revealed that he had suggested to both Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino that Italy should take Iran’s place at the competition. 

Speaking to the Financial Times, Zampolli said that as an Italian native, he would love to see the Azzurri compete at a World Cup hosted in the United States, adding that Italy’s history as four-time world champions made them worthy candidates for inclusion.

FIFA declined to directly address the proposal but reiterated comments previously made by Infantino, who insisted that Iran would participate in the tournament. 

The FIFA president recently stated that Iran had qualified on merit and deserved to represent its people at the competition, stressing that football should remain separate from political disputes. 

Iran’s embassy strongly criticized the proposal, accusing the United States of attempting to politicize the sport.

Officials in Italy also distanced themselves from the suggestion. Economy minister Giancarlo Giorgetti described the proposal as “shameful,” while sports minister Andrea Abodi insisted that qualification for the World Cup must be earned on the field. 

Italian Olympic Committee president Luciano Buonfiglio echoed similar sentiments, saying he would feel offended if Italy were admitted without qualifying through competition.

Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup after losing a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking a third straight absence from the tournament for one of football’s most successful nations. 

Meanwhile, Iran remains scheduled to play matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt during the group stage of the competition, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Although FIFA regulations allow the governing body to replace a participating nation if a team withdraws or is excluded, recent comments from both FIFA and Iranian officials suggest no such move is being considered. 

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said the country was fully prepared to compete in the tournament despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and security concerns surrounding the event.