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Sports officials in four-time world champion Italy say the country is not interested in replacing Iran at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, following a suggestion of the move by a Trump administration official.
Iran has not withdrawn from the World Cup, and the team is preparing to play in the championship taking place this year in the U.S., Mexico and Canada despite the ongoing war in the Middle East.
FIFA, the global soccer authority behind the World Cup, has insisted that Iran’s group stage games in California and Washington state will go ahead as planned in June.
The Financial Times reported this week that Paolo Zampolli, the U.S. special envoy for global partnerships, had suggested the swap to President Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In a phone interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Zampolli said his “request is not a political request,” but rather meant as a contingency plan in case Iran could not participate in the soccer tournament.
After suggesting to the FT that, with four previous titles, the Italian national team’s appearance in the World Cup would be justified, he told the AP it was his “dream … for the Italian people and the American-Italian people.”
Italian officials pushed back hard at the suggestion, with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi saying Thursday, “first of all, it’s not possible. Secondly, it’s not a good idea.”
Luciano Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee, which oversees all sports in Italy, also dismissed the idea, saying he “would feel offended,” as “you need to deserve to go to the World Cup.”
CBS/AP
