World Cup: If Iran pulls out, here's who will replace them!

World Cup: FIFA already has a plan if Iran withdraws

World Cup 2026 23 April 2026 at 14:30

World Cup 2026: If Iran withdraws, no European team will be called up—the spot will remain with an Asian national team.

The possibility of Iran being replaced at the 2026 World Cup continues to spark debate, but one thing is becoming clear: Europe won't be involved. If Iran does pull out—however unlikely—the spot will stay within the Asian confederation.

According to internal sources, FIFA would stick to a clear principle: maintaining the balance between confederations. With nine places allocated to Asia, any Iranian withdrawal would logically benefit another team from the same region.

In this scenario, the United Arab Emirates stand out as the main potential beneficiaries. The idea of a European team being called up—especially Italy—is thus completely ruled out, as it does not comply with the predetermined allocation rules.

Donald Trump's special envoy, Paulo Zampolli, told the Financial Times that "he has proposed to Trump and to FIFA President Gianni Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup.

I'm of Italian origin and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri take part in…
— Romain Molina (@Romain_Molina) April 22, 2026