Key Takeaways
- Italy’s sports minister Andrea Abodi says a plan for the Azzurri to replace Iran at the 2026 World Cup is “not possible” and “not appropriate”.
- The idea came from Paolo Zampolli, an envoy to US president Donald Trump, but FIFA has given no sign it will act on it.
- Iran have not asked to quit the tournament, and if they did, the United Arab Emirates stand next in line from Asia.
Italian sports minister Andrea Abodi has poured cold water on a surprise plea for Italy to sneak into the 2026 World Cup instead of Iran.
Paolo Zampolli, an adviser to US president Donald Trump, told reporters this week that the four-time champions should fill any gap left by Iran. He claimed Italy’s history made them worthy of a late call-up.
Abodi hit back quickly. Speaking to Sky, he said places must be earned on the pitch, not in boardrooms. “First, the rules do not allow it. Second, it would be unfair to every team that fought through qualifying,” he added.
Iran’s place has been questioned because of rising conflict involving the United States and Israel. The Asian side are set to play twice in Los Angeles and once in Seattle. They briefly looked at shifting ties to Mexico, but that plan has faded. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last month that Iran “will be there”.
If Iran ever pulled out, the United Arab Emirates sit highest among Asian teams who missed out, making them the logical stand-by.
Italy will watch the 2026 finals from home for the third straight time after losing a play-off to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. The shock exit led to the resignation of federation president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso this month. Off the pitch, Rome is racing to rebuild stadiums before it co-hosts Euro 2032 with Turkey.
