Italy calls World Cup swap proposal ‘shameful’

Italian sports and government officials have firmly rejected a proposal by a Trump administration envoy to replace Iran with Italy at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, calling the idea "shameful" and "not appropriate."

The Proposal

The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Paolo Zampolli, the U.S. special representative for global partnerships and an Italian native, suggested to both FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Donald Trump that Italy step in for Iran at the tournament. "I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup," Zampolli told the Financial Times. "I'm an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a U.S.-hosted tournament."ft+1

The proposal came amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran, which began on February 28, raising doubts about Iran's participation in the tournament. Iran's three group-stage matches are all scheduled on U.S. soil — against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, and against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Iran previously requested that FIFA move its matches to Mexican soil, but FIFA rejected the proposal, stating it expects all teams to compete according to the published schedule.aljazeera+2

Italian Officials Push Back

The response from Italy was swift and unequivocal. Luciano Buonfiglio, president of the Italian National Olympic Committee, said he would feel "offended" by the thought of Italy being considered as a substitute. Italy's economic minister labeled the suggestion "shameful". Renowned Italian coach Gianni De Biasi told Reuters that the proposal was unlikely to materialize, noting that any hypothetical absence by Iran would naturally be filled by the next team in line from the qualifiers, not by a handpicked replacement.sports.yahoo+1

Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, failed to qualify for the tournament after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff final, marking the third consecutive World Cup the Azzurri have missed.bbc

FIFA's Position

According to the BBC, FIFA currently has no plans to substitute Iran with Italy. Under FIFA rules, the governing body has "sole discretion" over selecting a replacement team in the event of a withdrawal or exclusion. The 2026 World Cup is set to kick off on June 11, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.euronews+1