While US President Donald Trump and those close to him have raised the idea that Italy could be part of the 2026 World Cup, an unexpected reaction comes from the Apennine Peninsula. Italian Minister of Sports, Andrea Abodi, was firm in his stance, rejecting any "favor" that FIFA and Trump might offer to include Italy in the tournament by excluding Iran. "A second chance for Italy in the World Cup is not appropriate; qualification must be achieved on the field," he said. In the same vein, Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti described the idea as "shameful." The proposal was put forward by Paolo Zampolli (Trump's envoy to Italy), who had asked FIFA and US President Donald Trump to include Italy instead of Iran. Strong reactions came from the Iranian side, with the Iranian embassy in Rome stating that "football belongs to the people, not politicians," sharply criticizing efforts to exclude them from the tournament. Iran's participation in the World Cup has been questioned due to tensions in the Middle East, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been clear: "Iran must participate." On the sporting side, Italy remains out of the World Cup for the third consecutive time, following their elimination in the play-offs by Bosnia and Herzegovina. The last appearance of the "Azzurri" in a World Cup dates back to 2014.