Speculation over a surprising last-minute reshuffle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been swiftly shut down by governing body sources, who confirm there is no intention to remove Iran from the tournament and replace it with Italy. The rumor of a potential switch began after the idea was publicly put forward by a senior diplomatic representative of former US President Donald Trump. The proposal immediately triggered global football discussion, with fans and pundits debating the logistics and ethics of mixing political diplomacy with international sporting competition. However, multiple insiders close to FIFA have made clear that the organization will not revisit Iran’s already confirmed qualification status for the 2026 tournament, putting an end to the short-lived speculation surrounding a major lineup change ahead of the global showpiece.