Italy’s hopes of reaching teh expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup-the first with 48 participating nations-hang in the balance as the European playoff draw approaches thursday in Nyon, Switzerland. The Azzurri,currently ninth in the FIFA world rankings but absent from the tournament since 2014,must navigate a two-legged playoff bracket to secure one of the final qualifying spots. Sixteen teams will participate in the draw, with Italy among the top seeds, but facing a possibly treacherous road ahead given past playoff defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia.
Playoff Draw Looms for Italy as World Cup Qualification Nears Final Stage
The path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes a crucial turn on Thursday, as 16 European nations, including Italy, will learn their playoff opponents in a draw scheduled for 1:00 PM CET. These playoffs represent a last chance for teams to secure a spot in the expanded 48-team tournament.
The playoff format is a two-legged affair. Italy must win both a semifinal and a final match to qualify. Ranked among the top seeds in the draw, Italy will face a team from the fourth tier of seeded nations in the semifinal: Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia, or Northern Ireland. The match will be played in Italy, with extra time and penalty kicks used to break any ties.
Notably, both Sweden and North Macedonia previously eliminated Italy in World Cup qualifying playoffs – Sweden in 2018 and North Macedonia in 2022. Italy currently sits ninth in the FIFA world rankings, despite failing to qualify for the World Cup since 2014. All four potential opponents are ranked below 40th in the world.
Sweden is considered the most challenging of the fourth-tier teams, boasting attacking talent like Viktor Gyökeres of Arsenal and Alexander Isak of Liverpool. However, they endured a disappointing qualifying campaign, finishing last in their group behind Switzerland, Kosovo, and Slovenia, and only reached the playoffs through the UEFA Nations League. They recently appointed Graham Potter as their new manager, but he suffered a 4-1 defeat to Switzerland in his debut.
Should Italy advance, they will face the winner of a separate semifinal pairing featuring teams from the second and third tiers. The second tier consists of Poland, Wales, Czechia, and Slovakia, while the third tier includes Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. The location for the final match will be determined by a separate draw.
Teams in the second tier present a significant step up in competition. Slovakia notably defeated Germany in their qualifying group, and reached the Round of 16 at the last European Championship before being narrowly eliminated by England. Poland features experienced stars like Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski, and Wales has become a consistent presence in major international tournaments.
The draw on Thursday will reveal both Italy’s semifinal opponent and the potential path to the final. The semifinal matches are scheduled for March 26, 2026, with the decisive final taking place on March 31, 2026.
