Exploring World Cup history to determine whether a World Cup host nation can request a team swap.
On 23 Apr 2026 GMT+7, after a special envoy of President Donald Trump formally requested FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football, to replace Iran with Italy’s national team, the Azzurri, in the 2026 World Cup, according to a Financial Times report on 22 Apr.
This sparked worldwide curiosity among football fans about whether FIFA would actually comply with the U.S. request.
The answer is that such incidents have occurred multiple times before, but this situation differs from all previous cases because this time the host nation itself is directly pressuring FIFA to swap teams, something unprecedented.
1. South Africa (1961–1992)
FIFA banned South Africa in 1961 due to its apartheid policy enforcing racial segregation and prohibiting mixed-race sports teams; in 1976, South Africa was expelled entirely from FIFA.
2. Yugoslavia (1994)
Yugoslavia was banned from the 1994 World Cup following a 1992 United Nations Security Council resolution imposing sanctions that included a ban on participation in international sports events, despite having qualified.
3. Russia (2022–present)
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, FIFA and UEFA announced suspension of all Russian teams "until further notice," resulting in Russia missing both the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.
4. Cases of Government Interference (Asia)
In the 21st century, five Asian Football Confederation (AFC) member nations—Kuwait, Brunei, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Iran—have been banned for political reasons, more than any other confederation worldwide.