Fifa is still aiming for Iran to play at the 2026 World Cup, despite the suggestion that Italy could replace them, illustrating how the situation is reaching ever deeper levels of politicisation.
With the US-Iran conflict still unresolved, Paolo Zampolli – an envoy to the United States president – confirmed to the Financial Times that he floated the idea of the four-time winners stepping in to both Donald Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino.