Us distances itself from plan to replace iran at world cup

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has distanced the US government from a reported proposal to have Italy replace Iran at the 2026 World Cup, should Iran decide not to participate due to the ongoing conflict. Rubio denied that the US had told Iran it couldn't come, but warned that members of the Iranian delegation with ties to Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) may be barred entry.

Rubio rejects zampolli's iran replacement plan

Reacting to the Financial Times' report that US special envoy Paolo Zampolli had floated the idea to President Donald Trump and FIFA, Rubio stated that the plan did not reflect the US government's stance.