US says Iran’s players are welcome at 2026 World Cup after Italy mooted as replacement

Iran’s footballers and staff will be welcome on American soil for the 2026 World Cup, secretary of state Marco Rubio has insisted, after it was revealed the idea of replacing the country with Italy was floated to Donald Trump.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup, jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, has been cast into doubt with the US-Iran conflict still unresolved.

Paolo Zampolli, an envoy to the US president, confirmed to The Financial Times that he had suggested to Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino that four-time winners Italy could make a suitable replacement for Iran.

“I’m an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament,” Zampolli said. “With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion.”

An envoy to Donald Trump suggested replacing Iran with Italy at the World Cup (WANA)

Rubio has responded by denying that the Trump administration has told Iranian players that they will not be able to enter the country to compete at the competition.

"Nothing from the US has told them they can't come," Rubio told reporters. “If they decide not to come on their own, it’s because they decided not to come.”

However, he warned that the US may yet refuse entry to members of the Iranian delegation who are judged to have ties to Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a “foreign terrorist organisation” by Washington.

"The problem with Iran would be not their athletes,” Rubio added. “It would be some of the other people they would want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC. We may not be able to let them in but not the athletes themselves.

Marco Rubio (centre) speaks next to Donald Trump in the Oval Office (Reuters)

"They can't bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that ​they are journalists and athletic trainers."

Trump then quickly reiterated: “We would not want to affect the athletes.”

Trump has so far given mixed signals on Iran’s participation, stating that on one hand they were “welcome” but on the other it would be “inappropriate” for them to take part “for their life and safety.”

Infantino, meanwhile, has been adamant that Iran will "for sure" participate, with an Iranian government spokesperson saying on Wednesday that the country was preparing for “proud and successful participation” at the World Cup, which begins on 11 June.

And despite Zampolli opening the door for Italy to compete after the Azzurri missed out on qualification for their third successive finals, the country’s sports minister Andrea Abodi has emphatically ruled out them replacing Iran.

Abodi told Sky News: “Italy’s possible re-qualification for the 2026 World Cup…. is firstly, not possible and secondly, not appropriate. I don’t know what comes first. Qualification is on the pitch.”

Iran have been drawn into Group G at this summer’s tournament and are due to kick things off against New Zealand on 16 June before facing Belgium on 21 June and Egypt on 27 June.