In crisis and having to compete in another phase with other European teams after falling behind Norway in the qualifiers, Azzurra decides to place in the World Cup in March
Italy will know its fate at the 2026 World Cup if it advances through the European playoffs. The draw held this Friday (5) determined that the qualifier from the Europe 1 Repechage — a bracket involving Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia — will enter directly into Group B, which already includes Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
The Azzurri, however, still need to overcome a turbulent path. The first match will be on March 26, 2026, against Northern Ireland, at the Bergamo Stadium, a stage where the team has never lost and where they beat Estonia 5-0 in their last appearance. If they advance, they will face Wales or Bosnia in the play-off final. Only the winner guarantees a place in the World Cup.
Italy’s presence in the tournament is far from guaranteed. After the 4-1 defeat to Norway in the last round of the Qualifiers, Gennaro Gattuso’s team was pushed back into the playoffs — a scenario that, in the two previous editions, resulted in traumatic eliminations for Sweden (2018) and North Macedonia (2022). Italy has not played in a World Cup since 2014.
The crisis in Italian football, marked by a drop in club performance, a shortage of high-level strikers and difficulties in renewing tactical identity, remains in the background. Still, Gattuso tries to regain competitiveness: he beat Estonia and Israel in his first FIFA Date, scoring nine goals in two matches.
If they overcome the play-offs, Italy will fall into an accessible group. Canada, the host country, leads the group. Qatar and Switzerland complete the composition. The scenario, considered balanced, offers a real chance of qualifying — as long as the team achieves the fundamental step first: guaranteeing its presence in the World Cup. The fight to return to the World Cup begins in March. Until then, the Azzurri remain between the pressure of history and the urgent need to find their football again.
