Italy is now on the verge of their most critical junction in its football history. The Azzurri, four-time world champions, are once again in front of deep trouble as they now stare at the World Cup playoffs after finishing second in their group. They have already been overtaken by an imposing Norway led by Erling Haaland, who beat them 3–0 in Oslo and 4–1 in Milán. Gennaro Gattuso’s team must have been hurt, exposed and with no margin for error.
It will be a complete for disaster Italy to miss 2026 World Cup after missing Russia in 2018 and Qatar World Cup in 2022 already. The country’s football identity and the entire ecosystem surrounding the Calcio will be at stake! Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is not only going to be a sporting objective; it will be able to bring Italy’s football legacy. Additionally, reaching the World Cup brings money, global attention, sponsors, international markets and renewed motivation for a Serie A that is trying to regain ground in Europe.
They now have to defeat Northern Ireland in the semi-final of the World Cup Play-Off, to be held in March and then play either Wales or Bosnia in a must-win match to earn the qualification for the World Cup finals. If they fail again, the impact would be unprecedented. Missing three consecutive World Cups would be a stain never seen before in more than a century of Italian football.
The entire Italian football ecosystem depends on the national team’s success: youth academies, foreign investment, player valuation, league attractiveness—everything grows when Italy is present at the World Cup.
A third straight failure could trigger a sporting blackout: less prestige, less investment, fewer rising talents. This playoff is their last chance to correct the trajectory before more years pass without Italy reclaiming its former status. More precisely, the play-off will be their final test before disaster or the first step toward rebuilding a fallen giant.
