Rome: Leading Italian sports writers have reacted cautiously to a proposal given by a senior representative of US President Donald Trump that Italy replace Iran in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Anadolu Agency, Italian-born Paolo Zampolli, a special envoy of Trump, proposed that Italy, recently eliminated in qualifying, should take Iran's place at the tournament to be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.
The suggestion sparked debate in Italy, where the national team suffered a major shock after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European qualifying play-off final on March 31, missing out on the World Cup for a third consecutive time.
Ivan Zazzaroni, editor-in-chief of Corriere dello Sport, dismissed the proposal in remarks to Anadolu, saying Zampolli is 'not someone to be taken seriously,' and described the idea as 'complete nonsense' and 'entirely unfounded.' Zazzaroni noted that such proposals often emerge when a major team fails to qualify for the finals. 'My personal opinion is that we did not deserve to go anyway. FIFA rightly allocates quotas to the respective confederations,' he said.
'I would like to understand why Italy, or any other continent, should replace Iran. You can imagine how unsportsmanlike such a move would be,' he added. Stressing his opposition, Zazzaroni said: 'We failed to qualify, we were eliminated, and that's the end of it. Why should we be reinstated? On what grounds? Because we have won four World Cups? That may be true, but it is also a fact that we have missed three in a row. We have no justified reason today.'
He also recalled that Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina and national team coach Gennaro Gattuso resigned after failing to secure qualification for the 2026 finals. They must rebuild after hitting rock bottom and cannot rely on extraordinary scenarios to rescue them, stressing that regulations are clear that if a team withdraws, its place should go to another from the same confederation, he said, adding that he does not support such ideas.
Merit should prevail in sports
Gianfranco Coppola, president of the Italian Sports Writers Association, also told Anadolu that similar late invitations or replacements have occurred in the past, often influenced by political developments. Referring to the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics led by the US and other countries, Coppola said: 'Many sporting events have been affected by political developments, starting from the boycotts of the 1980 Olympics and even earlier. Therefore, it is wrong to say that sport has nothing to do with politics.'
However, he emphasized that merit should prevail in sport. 'In my view, the final word should always be left to the pitch and to those who earn victory there,' he said. Coppola noted that Italy's participation in the World Cup would generate interest among sponsors, companies, and fans but acknowledged that the team failed to achieve the necessary results on the field.
He also pointed to the turmoil within Italian football following the failure to qualify. 'The federation is currently in complete disarray. The president has resigned, a new national team coach must be appointed, and the team needs to be rebuilt,' he said. 'I don't know whether this is a viable path, but as they say, the ball is round and anything is possible,' he added.
Some commentary on the Financial Times report also suggested the proposal may be linked to recent tensions between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, with the move seen as a possible attempt to mend ties.