The very controversial proposal by the Italian envoy in the White House that Italy should take Iran's place in the World Cup next summer has been rejected by both Iran and Italy. The Iranian embassy said that such idea "shows the moral bankruptcy of the United States":
"Italy has earned its greatness in football on the pitch, not thanks to political privileges. The attempt to exclude Iran from the World Cup only reveals the 'moral bankruptcy' of the United States, which is afraid even of the presence of eleven young Iranians on the field of play", said the Iranian embassy on X, via BBC.
On the other side, Italian politicians also rejected the idea, with Italian Olympic Committee president Luciano Buonfiglio saying he would feel "offended" by it, and "in order to go to the World Cup, you have to earn it".
Similarly, Italy's economy minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said the idea was "shameful", while Sports Minister Andrea Abodi told La Press: "Firstly it is not possible, secondly it is not appropriate... You qualify on the pitch." Abodi also points that this was only an attempt to reduce tension between USA and Italy after Trump and Giorgia Meloni disagreed over Trump's feud with Pope Leo XIV.