The country’s participation in the tournament has been questioned amid the ongoing U.S. and Israeli war in the Middle East, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated firmly in mid-April that the Iranian team “has to come” to the competition.
Four-time world champions Italy lost a playoff match on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina last month; its most recent appearance at the World Cup was in 2014 in Brazil. The case quickly became political, and Italy’s football federation President Gabriele Gravina was forced to step down.
Despite the shock of missing the world’s biggest football tournament for the third time in a row, Italian officials flatly reject Zampolli’s idea of letting the Azzurri in through the back door.
The president of Italy’s Olympic Committee, Luciano Buonfiglio, said he didn’t think replacing Iran was even possible, and added he would be “offended” if Italy were allowed to participate under such circumstances. “One needs to earn it, to go to the World Cup,” he said.
Italy’s Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti went even further: “Today I’ve read the news that Trump’s envoy asked for it: I find it shameful. I would be ashamed,” he told reporters.