Italy’s repechage to World Cup: Enrico Mentana slams after Trump’s pro-Anglo initiative

The news of explicit pressure from Donald Trump to Fifa, through the words of U.S. envoy for global partnerships Paolo Zampolli, to admit Italy, via repechage, to the 2026 World Cup in place of Iran, has triggered several negative reactions within the borders of the Bel Paese. Among them is also the piquant one from Enrico Mentana, director of La7 news and a great soccer fan.

“Being repechaged to the World Cup as a gatecrasher, in place of a nation qualified on the field but excluded because it is at war with the host country, would be sleazy and unfair, and offensive to our sporting history,” Mentana wrote on his social profiles. The strong message immediately triggered reactions from Mentana’s followers, who were divided between those who ideally countersigned the journalist’s words and those who disagreed.

The proposal to repechage Italy, as reported by the Financial Times, came about as an “effort to repair ties between Trump and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni” after the U.S. president’s recent attacks on the Pope. Zampolli personally confirmed the pressure on the international federation: “I confirm that I suggested to Trump and Infantino to replace Iran with Italy at the World Cup. I’m Italian, it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at the World Cup in the United States.”

In this scenario of great uncertainty, Fifa will have to dissolve its reservation by the end of April or early May. Among the hypotheses on the table is the rather remote one of leaving only three teams in Group G, a solution that would displease everyone. More concrete, on the other hand, appears to be the option of a mini-qualifying tournament that would involve Italy and Denmark among the Europeans, as well as Asian, African and South American representatives, to fill the only spot that might remain vacant.