Italy - Italy has formally dismissed recent proposals suggesting it could take Iran’s place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the government saying tournament berths must be won on the pitch and not reassigned off it.
- In short: Italy will not pursue an extraordinary entry into the 2026 World Cup after a plan from a US envoy was floated and subsequently rejected.
Why Rome closed the door
The country’s Minister of Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, made clear that alternative pathways to qualification are inappropriate and that any World Cup spot "must be earned on the field." The proposal originated with Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy to US President Donald Trump for global partnerships, who — according to La Gazzetta dello Sport — suggested Italy replace Iran in the tournament.
FIFA manages the tournament structure and logistics; the official 2026 competition page on FIFA lays out the qualification framework and venue plan across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
"The spot must be earned on the field," Minister of Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi said, rejecting off-field alternatives.
Context and implications
Italy’s elimination after losing to Bosnia in March confirmed the nation will miss a third straight World Cup — a first among former tournament champions. The suggestion to substitute Iran was also turned down by the Italian Olympic Committee, led by Luciano Buonfiglio, and found no traction with Iranian authorities.
Iran secured qualification through the Asian confederation and its government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told state broadcaster IRIB the team is prepared to compete as planned. There was separate talk of Iran playing group-stage matches in Mexico to avoid games in the United States due to bilateral tensions, but FIFA dismissed that option for operational and scheduling reasons.
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