The Trump Administration has proposed to FIFA that Italy replace Iran in the upcoming World Cup, citing Italy's four World Cup titles as justification. Paolo Zampolli, a top envoy linked to Trump, confirmed he discussed this idea with Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, expressing a desire to see Italy compete in a tournament hosted by the United States. However, FIFA has stated that Iran, which has qualified for the tournament, intends to participate despite ongoing political tensions and security concerns. Infantino emphasized that Iran's participation is guaranteed and that FIFA will ensure the safety of its players. Italy, currently ranked 12th in the world, has not qualified for the World Cup after losing a playoff match to Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking its third consecutive failure to qualify. The proposal to replace Iran with Italy remains unconfirmed, as FIFA has not received any official withdrawal from Iran.