A special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that Italy could replace Iran at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, according to comments reported by international media.
Paolo Zampolli, Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, said he had raised the idea with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, arguing that Italy’s football history makes it a strong candidate for inclusion despite failing to qualify on sporting merit, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Italy, known as the Italy national football team and four-time World Cup champions, missed out on qualification after losing a playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking their third consecutive failure to reach the tournament.
Zampolli said the proposal was motivated by Italy’s football “pedigree” and expressed personal enthusiasm at the idea of seeing the Azzurri compete in a World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The comments also come amid broader diplomatic tensions and political discussions involving U.S. relations with European leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Iran’s participation in the tournament has also been called into question due to ongoing regional conflict, although no official FIFA decision has confirmed any replacement scenarios.
The suggestion has sparked debate, as World Cup qualification is traditionally based strictly on sporting results, and any deviation from that principle would mark a significant departure from FIFA’s established rules.
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