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Published on: 01/05/2026 - 23:10

41 days before the Men's Football World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, a rumor is circulating: Washington has excluded Iran and would like to replace it with Italy! If the project was indeed proposed by a Trump administration official, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Iran would participate in the tournament. However, questions remain for the reception of fans, and in the event of a last minute boycott by Tehran.

41 days before the start of the first 48-nation Football World Cup, doubt hangs over the participation of Team Melli. If the Iranian team easily qualified within the Asian Confederation with only one defeat in 16 matches, their participation in the World Cup is now suspended due to tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Italy, drafted by the White House?

Against a backdrop of boycott threats by Tehran, a member of the American administration thinks he has found the solution. Paolo Zampolli, of Italian origin, confirmed to the Financial Times that he suggested to the American president and the head of FIFA to replace Iran with Italy. The newspaper understands that this option was to allow Giorgia Meloni and Donald Trump to mend their ways, after the latter's controversial remarks about Pope Leo XIV.

The Squadra Azzurra had in fact missed their third consecutive ticket for a World Cup, eliminated by Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-off phase. But the Italian sports authorities officially declined the project, deeming it "impossible and inappropriate" and recalling that qualification was only obtained "on the ground".

Read alsoWorld Cup 2026: Italy's nightmare, eliminated by Bosnia-Herzegovina

Will Iranians be allowed to enter American soil?

According to Gianni Infantino during the last FIFA congress: Iran will play its matches on American soil. A green light apparently validated by Donald Trump, who assured that the team was welcome, citing his “friend Gianni”. However, last March, the American president published an ambiguous message on Truth Social explaining that although the team was welcome, its members should perhaps not come “for their own safety”.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since confirmed that Iranian athletes will not be banned in principle, but that Washington will block anyone with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

If the players benefit from exemptions, the 2026 World Cup could take place without a large part of the supporters. Indeed, Iranian and Haitian nationals are targeted by drastic entry restrictions. In addition, fans coming from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia will have to pay a deposit of up to $15,000 to obtain a visa.

Read alsoWorld Cup-2026: Infantino reaffirms that Iran will play well in the United States, Trump is “OK”

Could Iran be excluded like Russia in 2022?

Tehran did request the relocation of its matches to Mexico, but FIFA rejected this. For the moment, the Iranian federation maintains its participation in its first match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 16.

But some opponents of the Tehran regime are calling on FIFA to exclude Team Melli, in retaliation for the violent repression against demonstrations at the start of the year. Russia was thus excluded from international competitions by UEFA and FIFA following the invasion of Ukraine, and did not participate in the World Cup in Qatar.

However, the Russian team was not officially qualified at the time. Poland in particular had declared that it would refuse whatever happened to face it during the barrage scheduled for March 2022. Since then, Gianni Infantino has returned to this exclusion, affirming “that it had brought nothing” and that he was considering lifting it.

Read alsoThe FIFA president believes that the exclusion of Russia from competitions “brought nothing”

What do the FIFA regulations say in the event of Iran's withdrawal?

Since 1950, no qualifying team has canceled its participation before the start of the competition. And the rules have largely changed since the time when Egypt canceled its visit due to a missed boat to Uruguay.

If the Iranian selection decided to boycott the tournament, the rules adopted in 2025 would impose a fine of 272,000 euros (or double within 30 days of kick-off) and expose it to paying possible damages to the injured parties.

According to article 6.7 of the competition regulations, it will be up to FIFA to “decide at its sole discretion and take all measures deemed necessary” in the event of withdrawal or exclusion of a team. FIFA thus reserves the right to replace one nation with another, without specifying the selection criteria.

Group G to which Iran belongs could therefore remain at three instead of four, or else integrate an unfortunate participant. Following geographical logic, it would be the United Arab Emirates which could recover the Iranian ticket obtained within the Asian Confederation.

For now, Iran is still scheduled in Group G. And if Team Melli finishes second in its group, like the United States, the two teams would then face each other in the round of 16 on July 3 in Dallas (Texas).

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