According to the US newspaper Financial Times, businessman and special envoy Paolo Zampolli directly proposed the idea to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Trump. He argued that Italy, with its four historical World Cup titles, possesses a rich track record sufficient to justify its inclusion, despite not qualifying.

This idea is linked to efforts to mend relations between President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which have recently become strained. The relationship, once close, deteriorated after Trump criticized the Pope regarding the Iran conflict, prompting Meloni to voice her opposition. Subsequently, both sides exchanged tense statements in the media.

Italian players' disappointment after their 2026 World Cup playoff match against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Zenica on 31/3/2026. *Photo: Reuters*

The plan to bring Italy back to the North American World Cup serves as a diplomatic goodwill gesture. However, this idea raises concerns about political interference in sports principles based on merit. The likelihood of FIFA accepting Zampolli's proposal is not high.

Zampolli, 56, was born into a wealthy family in Milan, Italy. He once lived in the family's castle and had a distant relationship with Pope Paul VI. After his father's death, Zampolli sold the family toy company and moved to the US to pursue a career in modeling, establishing his own company in New York. There, the Italian-born businessman became close with Trump, even reportedly introducing Melania to Trump in 1998. Zampolli also had connections with Jeffrey Epstein, as the two had collaborated in modeling and business.

The 2026 World Cup is expected to feature 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four teams each, playing in the US, Canada, and Mexico from 11/6 to 19/7. Iran qualified from the Asian region and is placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Italy lost to Bosnia & Herzegovina in a penalty shootout in the European playoff round, missing the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Iran's participation in the tournament is questioned due to military conflict in the Middle East. Following airstrikes conducted by the US and Israel since late 2/2026, Tehran is concerned about security issues if the team has to play in the US. The Iranian government proposed that FIFA move their matches to Mexico, but this idea has not yet been approved.

Iranian players line up before their match against North Korea in Group A of the Asian World Cup qualifiers, at Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran on 10/6/2025. *Photo: Reuters*

Despite this, Iran's official stance has recently become clearer. A government spokesperson affirmed that the team is fully prepared and plans to participate in the World Cup. The country's Ministry of Sports also stated that the final decision rests with the government but is confident the team remains ready.

Conversely, FIFA has not issued an official response to the proposal to replace Iran with Italy. However, President Infantino has repeatedly affirmed that Iran will definitely participate, citing that the team legitimately qualified through the Asian regional qualifiers. According to regulations, FIFA has full authority to decide on a replacement if a team withdraws, but this only occurs in cases of force majeure.

Italy is the first former World Cup champion to miss three consecutive tournaments. The team, which won the world championship four times in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006, is currently experiencing a period of decline. The defeat to Bosnia & Herzegovina was a major shock to this traditionally rich football nation.

Despite not qualifying, Italy still holds the highest FIFA ranking among non-qualifying teams and won Euro 2020, demonstrating they have not completely lost their standing. This is also why Zampolli's proposal garnered attention, despite its questionable legitimacy.

This is not the first time a proposal to remove Iran from a World Cup has emerged. Before the 2022 tournament, similar calls were made regarding political and human rights issues, but FIFA at that time maintained the list of participating teams based on sporting results.

Hoang An (according to FT, Times)