A senior Trump administration official has formally proposed to FIFA that Italy replace Iran in the upcoming World Cup, according to reporting on Wednesday. The request marks an unusual intervention in tournament selection and comes as tensions simmer between the White House and Rome over Middle East policy.
Paolo Zampolli, serving as a special envoy to the president, confirmed he made the pitch directly to Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Zampolli is an Italian native and framed the proposal as an opportunity to showcase a storied football nation at a U.S. hosted event.
"I'm an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion," Zampolli told the Financial Times, which first reported the development.
The request appears tied to deteriorating relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, sources familiar with the matter indicated. The two have clashed over Trump's public attacks on Pope Leo XIV regarding Iran policy, according to reporting on the diplomatic rift.
Italy's omission from the World Cup stings. The national team failed to qualify for the third consecutive tournament after losing 4-1 on penalty kicks to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a March playoff.
Iran's football federation issued a statement Wednesday asserting the nation remains ready to compete and plans to participate in the tournament. The country had previously said it would only confirm its attendance once FIFA resolved a dispute over match relocation from U.S. soil to Mexico.
The White House, FIFA, Italy's Football Federation, and Iran's football federation declined to comment on the proposal.
Author James Rodriguez: "Diplomatic chess games don't usually involve World Cup rosters, but here we are, watching a president's advisor lobby for a last-minute team swap to smooth over tensions with an ally."
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