US President Donald Trump has described as “interesting” a suggestion to replace Iran with Italy at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, amid reports of an unusual proposal involving geopolitical considerations, Idman.Biz reports.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he had not given the matter much thought but did not dismiss it outright, adding that he would consider the idea further. The comments follow reports that his special envoy Paolo Zampolli had approached FIFA with a proposal to include Italy national football team in place of Iran national football team, despite Italy failing to qualify for the tournament.
According to reports, the initiative may be tied to broader diplomatic efforts, including attempts to strengthen relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following recent tensions.
The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, will be the first edition of the tournament in its expanded 48-team format, making qualification pathways and final line-ups a subject of heightened global attention.
