We had already talked about it a few weeks ago, when Italy’s elimination had reopened the usual debate on article 6.7 of the FIFA regulations and on the hypothesis that Iran’s non-participation could put the Azzurri back in the game. The answer was already clear then: technically possible in the abstract, practically unlikely in reality. In the meantime, however, the story has been enriched with a new — and rather bizarre — element.
Zampolli’s proposal
The news concerns Paolo Zampolli, an Italian-American diplomat with the role of Trump’s special envoy for global relations, who declared to the Financial Times that he had proposed to both the American president and FIFA number one Gianni Infantino to replace Iran with Italy. According to sources cited by the FT itself, the move would be an attempt to mend the relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which deteriorated after the American president’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV in relation to the war with Iran. Zampolli has no official role either with the World Cup or with Italian football and the proposal, in any case, did not originate from Trump or any member of his administration.
Italy’s response: no, thanks
The Italian reaction was rapid and compact. On the sidelines of the ceremony at the Quirinale for the 70th anniversary of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi declared: “First, it is not possible; second, it is not appropriate. I don’t know what comes first. You qualify on the pitch.” Same context, same day, even clearer tone: the Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti defined the proposal as “shameful”. CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio, speaking at the City of Rome Award, said he felt “offended” by the idea, reiterating that at the World Cup you earn your place on the field.
What FIFA said
FIFA has not released specific statements on the Zampolli proposal, referring to what Infantino already said after Italy’s elimination. At the CNBC “Invest in America” forum on April 15, the FIFA president said that Iran would participate in the World Cup “with certainty,” adding that sport should stay out of politics. The three matches of the Iranian group will take place in the United States: against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, against Belgium also in Los Angeles on 21 June, against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June. The Iranian federation had asked to move the races to Mexico; the request was rejected.
The previous one — Zampolli himself, in 2022
It is not the first time that Zampolli has attempted this path. In 2022, when he was ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Dominica to the United Nations, he wrote to Infantino asking for the exclusion of Iran – then for violations of women’s rights – and the repechage of Italy, eliminated from North Macedonia. FIFA did not follow up on the proposal and FIFA director Evelina Christillin publicly dismissed the whole thing as ‘utopia’, and Iran played the tournament regularly.
Because repechage remains impracticable
As already explained in the previous piece, article 6.7 of the FIFA regulations allows the federation to replace a withdrawn or excluded team, but leaves the decision to the full discretion of the body. In the event of an Iranian withdrawal, the confederal logic – never violated in the history of the World Cup – would lead to an Asian replacement. The most likely candidate would be the United Arab Emirates, last eliminated in the AFC qualifiers after losing the play-off against Iraq. Iran, for now, has not withdrawn and Italy does not want to enter through the window.
