Trump proposal to replace Iran with Italy in World Cup sparks debate as FIFA stays silent

The Trump Administration has asked FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup, as per The Kobeissi Letter post on X. The post said the reason behind this idea is that Italy has won four World Cup titles, so it has a strong history and deserves a place. It also said this move is being seen as a way to fix relations between Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni.

Reuters later reported that a top envoy linked to Trump did suggest this idea to FIFA, quoting a report by Financial Times. The person who made this suggestion is Paolo Zampolli, who confirmed he spoke about this to Trump and Gianni Infantino. Zampolli said clearly that he wants Italy to replace Iran and added that as an Italian, it would be a “dream” to see the national team play in a World Cup hosted by the US. He also repeated that Italy’s four World Cup wins give it the “pedigree” to justify being included.

Trump FIFA Italy plan

Reports said this whole idea is also connected to political tensions between Trump and Meloni after recent global issues. Their relationship became strained after Trump publicly attacked Pope Leo XIV during the Iran war situation. At the same time, Iran has responded by saying it is fully ready for the World Cup and plans to take part. Earlier, Iran had said it would decide its participation only after hearing from FIFA about shifting its matches away from the United States.

Iran World Cup response

Iran had raised security concerns for its players due to tensions after US and Israeli airstrikes, as noted by the AFR report. Despite all this, FIFA president Infantino clearly said that Iran will be part of the World Cup. Infantino said Iran has already qualified and should represent its people, and FIFA expects them to play. He also said FIFA will support the Iranian team and make sure conditions are safe for them.

Meanwhile, Italy is not even qualified for the tournament after losing a crucial playoff match to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as stated by Reuters. Italy lost that match in a penalty shootout and missed the World Cup again. This means Italy has now failed to qualify for three straight World Cups, which is a big shock for such a strong team. The loss created anger in Italy and even led to the resignation of the football federation chief. Even though Italy is strong, currently ranked 12th in the world, it still did not qualify through official rules, as per AFR.

FIFA rules team replace

FIFA rules say the organisation has full power to replace a team, but only if a qualified team withdraws. Right now, Iran has not withdrawn and has clearly said it wants to play, so there is no open spot. A similar situation happened before when FIFA used special powers to include Inter Miami so Lionel Messi could play in another tournament .

Trump mixed signals, FIFA no decision yet

Trump has given mixed signals, saying Iranian players are welcome in the US but also saying it could be risky. There are also tensions because Italy reportedly did not allow US military planes to use a base in Sicily during Iran-related strikes. In Italy, many people are against the war and are worried about rising prices of fuel and food due to the conflict.

As of now, there is no official decision by FIFA to replace Iran, and the governing body has not confirmed any such change , as per Reuters. So currently, Iran remains in the World Cup, and the idea of Italy replacing it is just a proposal and political discussion, not a confirmed move.

FAQs

Q1. Is Iran being removed from the World Cup?

No, Iran is still in the World Cup and FIFA has not made any change.

Q2. Why is Italy being talked about for the World Cup?

Italy was suggested as a replacement because of its strong history, but it has not qualified and no decision is made.