A top envoy to President Trump has asked FIFA to “replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup.” Sources said U.S. special envoy Paolo Zampolli “suggested the swap” to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Trump, arguing that “Italy’s four World Cup titles justify awarding it the slot.” Sources added the plan was “an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out" amid Trump’s “attacks against Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war." But Iran issued a statement on Wednesday saying “it is prepared for the tournament and plans to participate.” The move to seek to replace Iran with Italy comes after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/22).
The decision on which country would come in if the Iranian government withdrew the team “lies in the hands of FIFA,” which under Article Six of the World Cup regulations is “at liberty to call up any nation it chooses to fill the vacancy.” The Asian Football Confederation would be “expected to lobby hard for the replacement to come from Asia with the United Arab Emirates, who lost a qualifying playoff to Iraq last November, the obvious choice” (REUTERS, 4/22).
