Controversial World Cup swap: Italy for Iran proposed

Trump ally's bizarre World Cup proposal: Swap Iran for Italy

There's no question that Paolo Zampolli is—how to put it in that delicate balance between truth and legal invulnerability?—a slippery operator. The real intrigue, however, lies in whether this self-styled "businessman" and "former modeling agent" is currently acting on his own behalf or genuinely representing the U.S. government.

Here's the story: Paolo Zampolli, appointed by then-U.S. President Donald Trump in 2021 to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, has proposed that Italy—having failed to qualify—should replace Iran at the upcoming World Cup in North America.

It's not entirely far-fetched. Back in March, Iran's sports ministry denied reports that the team would withdraw, and as recently as Wednesday, the regime reaffirmed that its players were preparing for the tournament. Still, the decision rests solely with FIFA, which sets no formal rules for replacements. If FIFA wants someone to compete (or stands to profit from it), they will. Last summer's Club World Cup, for instance, featured U.S. side Inter Miami—unqualified but starring Lionel Messi.

For now, FIFA appears to favor Iran's participation. But if Iran were to pull out, Italy would be the obvious choice. With Serie A, Italy has built a football market that even those commercializing the summer tournament would want to tap into. A World Cup berth means added value.

Which brings us back to the central question: Is Paolo Zampolli truly acting on behalf of the U.S. government? One thing is certain—he's a close ally of Donald Trump. He was the one who, in 1996, secured Melania Knauss a high-skilled worker H1B visa, paving her way to the U.S. Zampolli, a figure frequently mentioned in the Epstein files, also boasts of having introduced Melania to Trump in 1998.

His career is a masterclass in how to be, shall we say, a hustler—and get away with it. The "businessman" once solicited donations for renewable energy at the UN headquarters, posing as a UN climate advisor. He claimed to be Brazil's UN ambassador, later becoming Dominica's actual "Ambassador for Oceans and Seas." His then-wife, former model Amanda Ungaro, was even appointed Grenada's "UN Ambassador for Youth Affairs."

Trump later named Zampolli to the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he pushed for a yacht marina and a restaurant. He gave himself the title "Special Envoy for Italy"—a role that doesn't exist—yet Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini addressed him as such. It comes as no surprise that Zampolli also advocates for Russia's return to global sports and was part of J.D. Vance's we're-helping-our-buddy-Orbán mission ahead of Hungary's elections.

For anyone still doubting what kind of "special envoy" Paolo Zampolli really is, the New York Times offers this revealing detail: In March, he allegedly urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and deport his ex-wife. She was removed from the country; their son remains with Zampolli.

So, is there any truth to the claim that Italy might replace Iran at the World Cup, flouting all sporting principles? Let's just say it's about as plausible as the idea that someone like Donald Trump could become U.S. president, someone like Gianni Infantino could head FIFA, or someone like Paolo Zampolli could be an envoy—or an ambassador.