Italian authorities have firmly dismissed a proposal suggesting that the Italian national football team could replace the Iranian national football team at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The suggestion emerged from Paolo Zampolli, who raised the idea with Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino as a contingency plan should Iran withdraw at the last moment. Iran has not pulled out of the tournament and is currently preparing to compete in the United States despite the regional conflict. FIFA has confirmed that group-stage matches scheduled near Los Angeles and in Seattle will proceed as planned in June.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Zampolli insisted his proposal was not রাজনৈতিক in nature. “My request is not a political request,” he said, describing it as a fallback option. “I had a dream. My request was for the Italian people and the American-Italian people.” He also told the Financial Times that Italy’s four World Cup titles justified their inclusion.
Italian officials reacted sharply. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi said the proposal was both unworkable and inappropriate. “First of all, it’s not possible. Secondly, it’s not a good idea,” he stated. Luciano Buonfiglio, head of the country’s Olympic body, said he would feel offended by such a move, adding that qualification must be earned on merit. Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti described the suggestion as “shameful”.
At the White House, Trump was asked about the possibility of Iranian players being denied entry to the United States. He initially responded lightly, saying he had not given it much thought, before acknowledging it was “an interesting question” and promising to consider it further. He then deferred to Marco Rubio, who clarified that no decision had been taken to block Iranian athletes.
Rubio suggested any complications would concern individuals accompanying the team rather than the players themselves. “Nothing from the US has told them they can’t come,” he said, adding that concerns centred on the possibility of individuals linked to militant groups entering under the guise of journalists or support staff. “We may not be able to let them in,” he said, referring to non-athletes. He acknowledged speculation that Italy could step in if Iran withdrew, but stressed that any such decision would be Iran’s alone.
Iran was among the earliest teams to qualify for the tournament, securing one of eight places allocated to the Asian Football Confederation. By contrast, Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, prompting the resignation of both the national team coach and the head of its football federation.
Zampolli, a long-time associate of Trump, previously introduced him to Melania Knauss in 1998. He has frequently highlighted his connections with Infantino, referring to him on social media as the “King of Soccer”. Trump appointed him as special representative for global partnerships last year.
The Iranian embassy in Rome condemned the proposal, stating on social media that “football belongs to the people, not to politicians”. It added that Italy’s footballing success had been earned on the field, not through political manoeuvring, and described the suggestion to exclude Iran as evidence of “moral bankruptcy”.
Iran’s participation has been under scrutiny since military strikes by the United States and Israel in February. In March, Trump expressed concern about the team’s involvement on safety grounds. FIFA, however, has consistently maintained that Iran will compete according to the schedule set last December and has rejected calls to relocate their matches to Mexico.
An Iranian government spokesperson said the national team was preparing for a “proud and successful participation” in the tournament.
Should Iran withdraw, the most likely replacement under standard sporting criteria would be the United Arab Emirates, the highest-ranked Asian side that did not qualify. However, FIFA regulations state that a withdrawn team may be replaced “with another association”, without explicitly requiring that replacement to come from the same continental confederation, leaving a narrow margin for interpretation.
