World Cup: U.S. Rejects Proposal To Replace Iran With Italy

The United States has ruled out any move to remove Iran from the 2026 FIFA World Cup or replace the country with Italy, following a wave of political discussion and informal proposals surrounding the tournament’s final lineup.

The controversy began after reports that U.S. special envoy Paolo Zampolli had floated an idea suggesting that Italy could be considered as a replacement for Iran in the expanded World Cup tournament.

The suggestion, which reportedly circulated in diplomatic and sporting conversations, was never formally adopted and did not receive approval from FIFA or U.S. football authorities.

The proposal triggered debate given that Iran had already secured qualification for the tournament.

However, officials quickly moved to clarify that qualification remains strictly merit-based and cannot be altered through political or diplomatic suggestions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has now provided a clear position from Washington, stating that Iran will participate in the tournament as scheduled and that there is no government decision or instruction aimed at removing the team.

Rubio said Iranian players will be allowed entry into the United States for the competition, which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada. However, he noted that scrutiny may apply to certain members of visiting delegations over security concerns, particularly individuals alleged to have links with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington classifies as a terrorist organisation.

He stressed that such considerations relate only to security screening and not to the athletes or sporting participation itself.

“The issue is not with the athletes themselves,” Rubio said, adding that no directive has been issued barring Iran from competing in the tournament.

The clarification comes after the earlier proposal sparked discussion within sporting and political circles, with some reports suggesting Italy could hypothetically be drafted into the tournament setup despite Iran’s qualification. The idea, however, has since been widely dismissed and has no standing within FIFA’s official framework.

Italian football authorities have also rejected any suggestion of replacement, maintaining that World Cup participation is determined solely through qualification on the field.

FIFA has not issued any statement indicating changes to the qualified team list, and Iran remains confirmed as one of the participating nations in the 2026 edition of the tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first edition hosted across three countries, the United States, Mexico and Canada will feature an expanded number of teams in what is expected to be one of the most politically and commercially scrutinised tournaments in recent history.