The U.S. Special Envoy Zampolli proposed to replace Iran with Italy in the 2026 World Cup lineup. The move is aimed at improving relations between Washington and Rome after a diplomatic crisis triggered by Trump's statements.
Italy did not qualify, while Iran did, but its participation remains in question. FIFA President Infantino insists on maintaining Tehran's bid. A final decision on the participants has not yet been made.
For Outstanding Achievements
The Special Envoy of the President of the United States for Global Partnerships, Paolo Zampolli, has proposed to include the Italian national team among the participants of the 2026 FIFA World Cup instead of the qualified Iranian team.
The corresponding proposal, voiced on April 23, 2026, was addressed to the head of the American state, Donald Trump, and the president of the International Football Federation, Gianni Infantino, as reported by the Financial Times.
As noted by The Guardian, citing the original source, the diplomat confirmed his position, highlighting his Italian heritage and expressing hope for the participation of the four-time world champions in the tournament, which will take place on U.S. territory.
Zampolli emphasized that the historical achievements and sports reputation of the Italian national team fully meet the requirements for participants in the world championship.
Football Diplomacy
The initiative of the American representative has become part of a set of measures aimed at stabilizing relations between Washington and Rome after a period of serious political tension.
Relations between NATO allies have been complicated by discussions surrounding the use of military facilities, as well as a series of sharp statements from the American leader directed at the head of the Vatican.
Donald Trump publicly questioned the need for the presence of Pope Leo on the international stage, noting that the political status of the latter is largely determined by the position of the current White House administration. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni deemed such formulations unacceptable.
In response, Trump indicated that the United States would withdraw its support for Rome in the future, citing the Italian side's refusal to assist Washington in a proposed operation against Iran. In this context, football diplomacy is viewed as a tool for restoring strategic dialogue and smoothing contradictions between key Western partners.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously emphasized that Iran has met all sports requirements for participation in the tournament, represents its people, and intends to compete on the field.
Iran Has Not Fully Decided
At the same time, Tehran has not ruled out the possibility of withdrawing from the world championship, considering the current geopolitical situation.
Iran's Minister of Sports Ahmad Donyamali confirmed that a final decision regarding the national team's participation has not yet been made and is still under consideration. The sports calendar stipulates that within Group G, the Asian team is to play against Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. CNBC also broadcasted the position of the FIFA president, which emphasized that athletes from Iran have gone through the official qualifying cycle and are counting on participating in the main competition of the quadrennial.
As for Italy, the team failed to advance past the qualifying stage, losing in the decisive match to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Despite the lack of an official sports quota, the American emissary expressed confidence that the Italian footballers are capable of adequately replacing the eliminated team in the tournament, which will take place in North America. The 2026 World Cup is scheduled for the summer and will be divided between three countries for the first time in history — the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The current holder of the trophy remains Argentina, which won the final of the 2022 championship against France after regular time ended with a score of 3:3, and a subsequent penalty shootout, where the South American team emerged stronger — 4:2.
The proposal to replace a participant in the largest football forum has caused a wide resonance in sports and political circles.
Analysts note that such a step would require a revision of FIFA regulations and may face resistance from organizations advocating for the priority of sports principles over foreign policy interests.
It is expected that a final decision on the composition of participants and possible changes in the tournament grid will be made after additional consultations between sports authorities and government structures of the involved states.
