Representation of Italy after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in FIFA qualifying match, 31 March 2026, Zenica. © Claudio Villa - FIGC / FIGC via Getty Images
A peculiar U.S. envoy insists on FIFA to choice Italy for the upcoming planet Championships, which will be co-organised by these 3 North American countries, in place of Iran in the Italian team.
Italy did not qualify for the tournament for the 3rd time in a row after a humiliating defeat with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the barracks, which sparked widespread criticism in the country and led to the resignation of the head of the national football federation.
Paolo Zampolli, an American of Italian origin, head of the Global Partnership Office in the U.S. State Department, said in an interview with Corriere della Sera that he wanted “Ensure the Italians that I will do everything possible to welcome them with open arms at the planet Championships in the United States”, pushing for Iran to be replaced by Italy. His lobbying activities were first described by the Financial Times.
Zampolli argues that ‘Italy, not Iran, should go to the planet Cup” and says he would be disappointed if he could not see Italian footballers "on the native land."
The U.S. war against Iran has raised uncertainty about the participation of this mediate east country in the tournament. Iranian officials sent conflicting signals, and any called for the transfer of Iran's representation matches from the US to Mexico.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, born in Switzerland and besides having Italian citizenship, claimed that Iran is going to compete in the US.
Both publications described Zampolli's lobbying as an effort to repair strained relations between the US and Italy. Tensions escalated after president Donald Trump criticized Pope Leon and later Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who reprimanded him for attacking the Pope.
By ‘Corriere della Sera’, ensuring Italy's participation – four-time planet champions in football – could besides bring Trump political benefits in the country, possibly expanding support for Republicans among Italian-American voters before the November supplementary elections.
Separately, last week the media reported that Trump's peculiar envoy on anti-Semitism, Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, warned European officials that they could be subject to travel restrictions at the planet Championships in retaliation for alleged negligence in approach to this issue.
An American-Israeli bombing run aimed at overthrowing Iran's government, launched at the end of February, failed to accomplish its objectives and led to a prolonged stalemate that disrupted the supply of energy from the Persian Gulf.
Early this week, Trump announced an indefinite halt to military action, claiming that Tehran needed time to resolve interior divisions and accept the U.S. conditions for ending the conflict.
However, Iranian officials insist that Washington admit that he suffered a strategical defeat.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/638956-fifa-iran-italy-replacement/
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