Fifa does not plan to exclude the Iranian national team from participating in the 2026 World Cup, despite a proposal from the US special envoy. According to reports, the initiative to replace Iran with Italy did not receive support from the international federation. The issue of Iran’s participation arose amid ongoing tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel.
According to the Financial Times, US special envoy Paolo Zampolli approached Donald Trump and Fifa President Gianni Infantino with a proposal to admit Italy instead of Iran. Zampolli, who has previously promoted a similar initiative, stated that Italy deserves a place in the tournament due to its achievements. However, there have been no official comments from Fifa on this proposal. The organization only referred to a recent statement by Infantino, in which he confirmed the participation of the Iranian team in the tournament.
Reactions from the parties
The US authorities have not imposed official restrictions on Iranian athletes, but, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted, difficulties may arise for accompanying persons linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. At the same time, the Iranian embassy sharply condemned Zampolli’s proposal, calling it a manifestation of the US’s “moral bankruptcy” and stressing that Italy’s success was achieved on the field, not through political decisions.
In Italy, the idea of replacing Iran provoked a negative reaction. Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti called it “shameful,” while Minister of Sports Andrea Abodi emphasized that participation in the World Cup should be determined by athletic merit. The country’s Olympic Committee president, Luciano Buonfiglio, also opposed the idea, noting that qualification for the tournament must be earned.
FIFA’s position and match schedule
FIFA president Gianni Infantino previously expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to the situation but confirmed that Iran had qualified and should compete in the tournament. In March, after visiting the Iranian team in Turkey, Infantino stated that Iran’s matches would be held in the USA, despite discussions about possibly moving the games to Mexico.
The Iranian national team is set to play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, as well as Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The tournament will start on June 11 and will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. According to FIFA regulations, the organization has the right to independently decide on replacing a team in the event of its withdrawal or exclusion; however, no such decisions have been made at this time.
Context and background
Earlier, Paolo Zampolli had already proposed replacing Iran with Italy at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but his initiative was not implemented then either. In March of this year, the Iranian side stated that it might refuse to participate due to security concerns following airstrikes by the US and Israel. Donald Trump previously noted that Iran could be admitted to the tournament, but expressed doubts about the safety of Iranian athletes. This week, Iranian authorities confirmed the team’s readiness to participate in the World Cup.
