An envoy to United States President Donald Trump, Paolo Zampolli, has proposed that Italy could replace Iran at the World Cup finals, despite Italy having failed to qualify for the tournament for a third successive time. Italy's sports minister, Andrea Abodi, firmly rejected the suggestion, stating it was both "not possible and secondly, not appropriate" and that "qualification is done on the pitch."
Background of the Proposal
The idea emerged after Iran's involvement in the finals became uncertain following US and Israel air strikes on the country, which led to retaliatory attacks by Iran. Zampolli confirmed to the Financial Times that he had discussed the concept of four-time winners Italy stepping in with Donald Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
Official Responses
Fifa declined to comment on the report, although Infantino had previously affirmed that Iran would "for sure" compete, while Donald Trump has offered mixed signals regarding Iran's participation. Italy's sports minister made it clear that the country would not accept any such arrangement, emphasizing the importance of earning a spot through proper qualification.
