Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi dismissed as "inappropriate" a proposal that Italy should take Iran's place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
According to Britain's The Guardian on Sunday, Abodi drew a line against recent claims by Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump, that Italy should be placed in the World Cup on a "fast-track" basis. "The World Cup is a competition decided by merit," Abodi said.
Zampolli argued that Italy, which was eliminated last month after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina, deserves to compete in place of Iran given its four World Cup titles. However, Abodi stressed that "re-entry is neither possible nor appropriate. Qualification for the World Cup is decided on the pitch."
Iran's participation had been in question due to its war with the United States and Israel, but the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) officially confirmed that "Iran will participate in the World Cup." Should Iran withdraw, the most likely replacement would be the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the next-ranked country in Asia.
Italy has failed to reach the World Cup finals for three consecutive tournaments. The fallout has been severe, with football federation president Gabriele Gravina resigning earlier this month and manager Gennaro Gattuso also stepping down. Italy faces pressure to accelerate stadium construction and renovation ahead of the Euro tournament it will co-host with Türkiye in 2032.
