Martin Leduc

Published on Apr 23, 2026 at 21:52

The Squadra Azzurra will not participate in the World Cup for the third consecutive time after being eliminated in the European playoffs final against Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1 a.e.t. 4-1 on penalties) at the end of March. This failure has caused a seismic shock in the country and led to resignations at the top of the sports authorities.

“First of all, it’s not possible. Secondly, it would not be appropriate, we qualify on the field,” said Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, as reported by Italian news agencies Ansa and AGI.

“You have to earn your place”

The president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (Coni), Luciano Buonfiglio, stated that he would feel “offended” if Italy were to be rejected in this manner. “You have to earn your place in the World Cup,” he explained, according to Italian news agencies.

While uncertainty looms over Iran’s participation due to the Middle East conflict, Paolo Zampolli confirmed to the Financial Times on Thursday that he had suggested an unlikely scenario to Mr. Trump and Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, who recently assured that Iran would take part in the tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

“I am Italian by birth and it would be a dream to see the Squadra Azzurra in a tournament held in the United States. With four titles, it has the pedigree to justify its inclusion.”

In 2022, after the Azzurri’s previous failure, Paolo Zampolli had unsuccessfully suggested to FIFA to disqualify Iran due to the violence of its police repression, in an attempt to reinstate Italy for the World Cup in Qatar.

“Sports should be kept out of politics”

When asked by AFP, the global football body referred to recent statements by Gianni Infantino. “Iran will be in the World Cup” and will play its first-round matches in the United States as planned, he stated in late March in Antalya (Turkey).

“Iran should come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play,” he reiterated in mid-April during an economic conference in Washington, while hoping for a “peaceful situation” in the Middle East in the near future.

“Sports should be kept out of politics,” Mr. Infantino emphasized, as his overt closeness with Donald Trump drew criticism.

Iran starts on June 16 against New Zealand

Iran is set to play its three group G matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand (June 16) and Belgium (June 21), then in Seattle against Egypt (June 27). Its base camp is supposed to be in Tucson, Arizona. At the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East triggered by the United States and Israel on February 28, Iran had mentioned a “boycott” of the competition, before asking FIFA to move its matches from the United States to Mexico. The global body dismissed this option.

FIFA’s regulations empower the organization to unilaterally decide on measures to be taken if a team, in this case Iran, were to withdraw. “Football belongs to the people, not politicians. The attempt to exclude Iran from the World Cup only reveals the moral bankruptcy of the United States, who even fear the presence of eleven young Iranians on the field,” the Iranian embassy in Rome wrote on X

With AFP.

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