April 22 (Reuters) – A top envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump has asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming World Cup, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
The plan is an attempt to mend ties between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out over the US president’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
“I confirm that I proposed to Trump and (FIFA president Gianni) Infantino that Italy should replace Iran at the World Cup. I am of Italian descent and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles they have the background to justify inclusion,” US special envoy Paolo Zampolli told the FT.
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The White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Italy suffered a shock in March after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row following a 4-1 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifying play-off final.
Iran qualified for a fourth consecutive World Cup last year, but after the start of the war requested FIFA to move the team’s three group matches from the US to Mexico.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last month during a visit to an Iranian squad’s training camp in Turkey that all matches would take place as scheduled, while offering help to the team in its preparations for the tournament.
“We are preparing and making arrangements for the World Cup, but we are obedient to the authorities’ decisions,” Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj told reporters at a pro-government meeting in Tehran on Wednesday. “For now the decision is that the national team must be fully prepared for the World Cup.”
The decision on which country would step in if the Iranian government were to withdraw the team rests in the hands of FIFA, which under Article Six of the World Cup regulations has the freedom to call up any country of its choice to fill the vacancy.
The AFC is expected to lobby hard for the replacement to come from Asia, with the United Arab Emirates, who lost a qualifying play-off to Iraq last November, being the obvious choice.
However, the UAE does not have nearly the football history of the Italians, having attended only one edition of the World Cup final in 1990 when they lost all three matches.
The World Cup, which is also co-hosted by Mexico and Canada, kicks off on June 11, with Iran set to kick off its campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles four days later.
