Trump envoy asks FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at World Cup

An envoy to United States President Donald Trump asked world football's governing body FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming World Cup, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

US special envoy for Global Partnerships Paolo Zampolli told the FT it would be a "dream" to see four-time World Cup winners Italy at the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada despite the fact they lost in a qualification playoff last month.

The idea was an effort to repair ties between Trump and Giorgia Meloni after the Italian prime minister fell out with the president after criticising his attack on Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, the FT reported.

"I confirm I have suggested to Trump and [FIFA President Gianni] Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup," Zampolli said.

"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 added.

Italy has won the World Cup four times but it missed out on the tournament for a third successive time after losing a penalty shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their qualifying playoff final.

The Iranian embassy to Rome responded saying that the suggestion showed US "moral bankruptcy."

"Italy has earned its greatness in football on the pitch, not thanks to political privileges," the Iranian embassy said on X.

An Iranian government spokesperson on Wednesday said the men’s national team was preparing for “proud and successful participation” in the upcoming tournament.

Iran's presence at the World Cup has been thrown into doubt by the war with the US and Israel that broke out on 28 February.

The Iranian football federation (FFIRI) had said in April it was "negotiating" with FIFA to relocate the country's World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico.

Gianni Infantino has since publicly denied Iran's demand, telling AFP that the Iranian team will play "where they are supposed to be, according to the draw."

In 2022, Paoli Zampolli made a similar suggestion, proposing to FIFA that Italy should replace Iran at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because of the Islamic Republic's crackdown on protesters at that time. His proposal fell on deaf ears.

Zampolli is an Italian-American socialite, businessman and founder of a modelling agency, who claims to have introduced Trump to his current wife Melania Trump.