Italy’s repechage to World Cup, Fabrizio Biasin embarrassed after latest surprising news
“‘Trump’s special envoy presses Infantino to replace Iran with Italy at the World Cup’ (Financial Times). Fortunately, there is nothing concrete: playing the World Cup as a repechagee would be even more embarrassing than not having won it on the field.” This is the thought of Fabrizio Biasin, a quoted sports journalist who has a very large following on social media: among his followers the debate was promptly sparked.
The possibility that Iran will not participate in the rainbow tournament is real: the situation remains decidedly intricate and is being closely watched by a variety of federations, both those hoping to be repechaged and those whose teams are placed in Group G with the Asians, namely Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.
On the Iranian side, however, the signals are mixed. On the one hand, Minister of Sports and Youth Ahmad Donyamali said that “if the safety of the national team’s players in the United States is guaranteed, we will leave for the World Cup,” clarifying, however, that the final decision will be up to the government authorities together with the Supreme National Security Council. On the other hand, the Iranian federation announced the organization of a friendly against Panama in the United States for early June, a signal interpreted as an opening toward participation in the World Cup. The Persian Gulf Professional League has also postponed the current season’s matches until after the World Cup, a further indication that Iran is concretely planning for the World Cup expedition.
In this scenario of great uncertainty, FIFA will have to lift the reservation by the end of April or early May to ensure the smooth running of the 48-team tournament. Among the hypotheses on the table is the rather remote option of leaving only three teams in Group G, a solution that would displease everyone. More concrete, however, appears to be the option of a mini-qualifying tournament that would involve Italy and Denmark among the Europeans, as well as two Asian representatives, with Nigeria and Bolivia among the possible participants, to fill the only spot that might remain vacant. In pole position for Iran’s direct replacement, however, would remain an Asian selection, that of the United Arab Emirates.
