An envoy to President Donald Trump has asked FIFA to remove Iran from the 2026 World Cup and hand their place to Italy, according to a report by the Financial Times. The request came from Paolo Zampolli, an Italian-born businessman who has been part of Trump’s inner circle for decades. Zampolli is widely credited with introducing Trump to his wife Melania at a New York party in 1998, and was appointed by Trump in March 2025 as the US Special Envoy for Global Partnerships, a role that has seen him involved in sports diplomacy, mineral deal negotiations, and international summits.
Zampolli confirmed the proposal directly to the Financial Times. ‘I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup. 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,’ he said.
Italy failed to qualify for the tournament after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a UEFA playoff match, their third consecutive World Cup absence. Iran, by contrast, qualified through the Asian Football Confederation in March 2025 and has stated it is prepared to participate. Iran’s sports minister confirmed the federation would keep the squad ready, though noted the final decision rests with the government.
The proposal is understood to be partly motivated by a desire to repair relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The two fell out after Meloni publicly condemned Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV and refused to allow US military aircraft to use an American base in Sicily during operations against Iran. Zampolli, as an Italian-born figure with long-standing ties to both countries, is seen as a natural back-channel between Washington and Rome.
FIFA has not responded to the lobbying effort. Its president Gianni Infantino has, however, been unambiguous about Iran’s status. ‘The Iranian team is coming, for sure,’ Infantino said at a conference in Washington earlier this month. ‘Iran has to come if they are to represent their people. They have qualified. They really want to play, and they should play.’ Infantino also visited the Iranian national team at their training camp in Turkey in late March, saying afterwards that FIFA would ensure the best possible conditions for their World Cup preparations.
Under FIFA’s own rules, the governing body has discretion to replace a participating nation if it withdraws, but Iran has not withdrawn. A previous proposal to move Iran’s group stage matches, all scheduled to be played on US soil, to Canada or Mexico was rejected by FIFA. Iran is ranked among Asia’s strongest qualifying teams and reached the tournament as one of eight AFC nations. Italy, despite its history, is currently ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, the highest of any non-participating nation.
