Geopolitics is crashing the beautiful game. A top Trump aide has called on FIFA to bench Iran and hand a wildcard to Italy for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States. This bold intervention underscores how international football is entangled in US-Iran hostilities and Trump’s personal feuds.
Paolo Zampolli, Trump’s special envoy with Italian roots, pitched the idea directly to the president and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. ‘Italy deserves a spot with their four World Cup wins—imagine the Azzurri lighting up the US stages,’ he enthused in a report.
Italy’s qualification drought is unprecedented. The four-time champions bowed out in playoffs to Bosnia and Herzegovina via penalties, marking the first time any ex-winner has missed three straight tournaments—a bitter pill after their 2006 triumph.
Iran, contrastingly, punched their ticket for the fourth consecutive time but is now wavering. Post-US and Israeli airstrikes, Minister Ahmad Dobayanmali said participation is impossible. Earlier, they sought to relocate US-based group games to Mexico amid safety fears.
This comes after Trump’s fiery Truth Social attack on Pope Leo XIV, labeling him ‘weak on crime’ over immigration views and anti-war sentiments on Iran. The post united critics across the aisle. The Italy push also signals a thaw with PM Giorgia Meloni.
Infantino once welcomed Iran warmly in talks with Trump, but realities shifted. Trump quipped on social media: Iran’s team is invited, but ‘their safety is a real concern.’
As the June 11-July 19 extravaganza looms in North America, FIFA must navigate this minefield. Will football’s global body yield to political pressure, or stick to the qualifiers? The saga highlights sport’s vulnerability to world events.
