Washington: Trump's envoy suggested Italy replace Iran in this year's World Cup.
According to Thai News Agency, senior representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump have proposed to the International Association of Soccer (FIFA) that Italy be allowed to compete in this year's World Cup finals in place of Iran. This plan is viewed as a diplomatic effort to mend relations between President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorga Meloni after tensions arose due to the US president's remarks about Pope Leo XIV concerning the war in Iran.
U.S. Special Representative Paolo Sampoli, in an interview with the Financial Times, confirmed that he had brought this proposal to both President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Sampoli, an Italian by birth, expressed his aspiration to see the Italian national team participate in a tournament co-hosted by the U.S., citing Italy's four World Cup titles as a testament to their prestige. Despite this proposal, there has been no comment from the White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation, or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on the matter.
Italy's national team, currently facing a crisis after failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, suffered a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifying round in March. Meanwhile, the Iranian national team, which has qualified for the finals for the fourth consecutive time, had initially requested FIFA to relocate their three group stage matches from the United States to Mexico due to the ongoing war.
Despite this request, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed during a visit to Iran's training camp in Turkey last month that all matches would proceed as scheduled, offering assistance to prepare the Iranian team. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, stated at a pro-government rally in Tehran that the federation focuses on World Cup preparation but remains ready to comply with decisions from higher authorities.
The decision on which country will fill the spot if Iran withdraws remains with FIFA, as stipulated in Article 6 of the World Cup regulations. While the AFC is expected to advocate for an Asian nation to fill the vacancy, with the United Arab Emirates being a likely candidate, Italy's stronger record could also be a consideration. The FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico and Canada, will commence on June 11th, with Iran scheduled to play its first match against New Zealand in Los Angeles.