The possibility that emerged this Wednesday suggesting that Donald Trump could push for Italy to replace Iran at the 2026 World Cup has sparked reactions ranging from disbelief to outright laughter. A recent rift between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the White House may be at the root of this idea. How far can politics go in this FIFA World Cup?

The proposal has been leaked from Trump’s circle, with businessman Paolo Zampolli conveying the idea both to FIFA and to Gianni Infantino himself. The argument, at first glance, is simple: Italy “deserves” to be there based on history, while also solving other political issues along the way. As reported by the ‘Financial Times’, sources close to Zampolli acknowledge that the proposal is also an attempt to ease tensions between Washington and Rome following the strain caused by Trump’s recent comments about Pope Leo XIV and Meloni’s stance on the Iran war.

The United States is experiencing an escalation of tensions with Iran that has also spilled into the symbolic sphere. And the World Cup, largely hosted on US soil, becomes a stage where what appears to be a sporting suggestion turns into a political gesture.

Iran is already in… on the pitch

With the Iran national football team already qualified through results on the field, the shadow of war, security concerns and diplomatic relations emerges. A politics of goals in which Iran has even considered conditions for participation, such as playing its matches outside the United States (it is worth remembering that this World Cup will also be held in Mexico and Canada). At that point, the narrative shifts, especially after Trump suggested that it would not be “appropriate” for Iran to play in the World Cup “for its own safety”.

In parallel, the Italy national football team appears. Four-time world champions. History, weight, narrative. But also a harsh reality: they have failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. And this is precisely what makes the proposal so striking. It is not a playoff, not a sporting route. It is something entirely removed from the pitch.

Under different circumstances, this proposal might be considered absurd, utopian or extremely far removed from reality. However, given the gestures that FIFA and Gianni Infantino have made towards Donald Trump, such as awarding him the first FIFA Peace Award, there are those who are not convinced this idea could not become reality.

FIFA, caught between two pressures

For now, FIFA’s position is clear: there will be no replacement. And that makes sense. Opening that door would mean accepting that a World Cup can be reshaped off the pitch. The balance is not simple, as the tournament is largely played in the United States, and the authority exercised by Donald Trump in his style of governance is not easy to contain.

However, this is a matter that should not even be considered. It should not dominate headlines or provoke reflections like this one in the media because if we reach the point where a team can be included or excluded from a World Cup for political reasons, the competitive system loses its foundation. The case of Russia is different, as it reflects a global and unanimous stance, not the position of a single country.

Football has always coexisted with politics. But this line is dangerous not only to cross, but even to approach.