Published On 4/24/2026
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Last update: 13:40 (Mecca time)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied Thursday that his government supports a proposal to replace the Iranian national team with its Italian counterpart in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, indicating that the Iranians will be welcome in the tournament this year.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Rubio denied that Washington had asked the Iranian national team not to attend the World Cup, but he warned that the United States might prevent the entry of some members of the Iranian delegation if it saw that they had links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which Washington and several other governments classify as a terrorist organization.
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“No one from the United States told them they couldn’t come,” Rubio said of Iran’s participation in the World Cup.
He added, “The problem with Iran will not be with its players, but with some other people they may want to bring with them, some of whom have connections to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. We may not be able to allow them in, but not the players themselves.”
Rubio was responding to a proposal contained in reports, put forward by the Italian-born US special envoy Paolo Zampolli, in which he told the Financial Times that he had presented the idea of Italy replacing Iran in the World Cup to US President Donald Trump and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
He refused to compensate Iran with Italy
The Italian government and sports officials rejected the proposal outright earlier Thursday.
Rubio said that this proposal does not reflect the position of the US government.
He continued, “I do not know where this talk comes from, except speculation that Iran may decide not to come, and then Italy will take its place. But this is only if they decide not to come, because it is their decision.”
Zampoli told the newspaper, “I confirm that I proposed to Trump and to FIFA President Gianni Infantino that Italy replace Iran in the World Cup. I am Italian by origin, and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri in a tournament held in the United States. With four titles, the team has justification for its participation.”
However, Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abudi said Thursday that returning Italy to the competition is “first, not possible. Secondly, it is inappropriate, because qualification is decided on the field,” according to what was reported by the Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI.
This position was supported by the President of the Italian Olympic Committee, Luciano Buonfilio: “I would be insulted. You should deserve your place in the World Cup.”
Iran’s response
The Iranian embassy in Rome responded by saying that this proposal showed the “moral bankruptcy” of the United States, and that Italy did not need “political privileges” to prove its football greatness.
Doubts were cast over Iran’s participation in the World Cup due to the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.
The Iranian Football Federation said in April that it was “negotiating” with FIFA to move the country’s World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico.
But Infantino told Agence France-Presse last month that Iran would be in the World Cup and would play “where they are supposed to play, according to the draw,” before reiterating that position in Washington last week.
