Italy have rejected suggestions they could take Iran’s place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, saying qualification must be decided on the pitch and not through political influence.
The response follows comments by Paolo Zampolli, an envoy to Donald Trump, who said it would be a “dream” to see Italy national football team at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico despite failing to qualify.
Italy sports minister Andrea Abodi dismissed the idea, making it clear the country would not accept a place outside normal qualification rules.
“It is not possible and it is not appropriate. Teams must qualify on the pitch,” he said, according to Italian media.
Italian National Olympic Committee president Luciano Buonfiglio also rejected the proposal, saying any such move would undermine the integrity of the competition.
Italy, four time World Cup winners, will miss the tournament after losing their playoff to Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking another major absence on the global stage.
The suggestion drew a strong response from Iranian Embassy in Rome, which said Iran had earned its place through qualification and did not need political decisions to justify participation.
Iran’s involvement in the tournament has been questioned due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, but FIFA has maintained that the team will compete as scheduled.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly stated that Iran will take part in the competition and play matches according to the official draw.
Similar suggestions to replace Iran with Italy were made ahead of the 2022 World Cup but were not considered by FIFA.
With the tournament approaching, the governing body’s position remains unchanged, reinforcing that World Cup qualification is determined by results on the field, not external factors.
