A special envoy to US President Donald Trump has urged FIFA to substitute Italy for Iran in the upcoming World Cup, set to commence on June 11. Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV on social media, prompting the move due to the Pope’s stance on US immigration policy and the Iran conflict. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned Trump’s remarks about Pope Leo XIV as “unacceptable.”
The initiative aims to mend the strained relationship between Trump and Meloni following Trump’s comments about Pope Leo XIV and the Iran war. US special envoy Paolo Zampolli, an Italian native, advocated for Italy’s inclusion in the World Cup, citing their four titles as justification. Italy, a former world champion, failed to qualify for the tournament for the third consecutive time after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs.
In a historic development, Italy, a former World Cup winner, missed out on qualification for three successive editions. Iran, on the other hand, secured a spot in their fourth consecutive World Cup but requested FIFA to relocate their matches from the US to Mexico due to the ongoing war. Despite earlier assurances from FIFA President Gianni Infantino to Trump about Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, Iran later announced their inability to compete following airstrikes by the US and Israel.
Trump expressed concerns for Iran’s safety at the World Cup, despite welcoming their team. Iran is scheduled to face New Zealand at SoFi Stadium on June 16, followed by a match against Belgium before concluding group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
