April 1 – Four-time winners Italy will miss this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2026 after a play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina team in Zenica – extending a staggering 12-year absence from world football’s centrepiece.
Defeat came via penalties, following a 1-1 draw, meaning Italy have now failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups – a first for any former champion. Their last appearance in the tournament came in 2014, with their most recent knockout match still the 2006 final win over France… 20 years ago.
Gennaro Gattuso’s side opened the scoring through Moise Kean, but the game turned before half-time with Alessandro Bastoni sent off for a last-man challenge. Reduced to ten men, Italy struggled to control the tie, and Haris Tabakovic’s late equaliser forced extra time and eventually penalties.
From the spot, Italy wobbled. Sandro Tonali was the only Italian to convert his penalty, as Bosnia and Herzegovina scored all theirs to win 4-1 and secure a place at just their second World Cup.
Missing another cycle in an expanded 48-team tournament – designed in part to offer greater access – underlines the scale of Italy’s decline. Commercially and competitively, it leaves one of football’s biggest brands absent from an event expected to draw more than six million fans across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and a global audience in the billions.
Bosnia and Herzegovina go forward to Group B, where they will face co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
Elsewhere in the play-offs, Sweden booked their place with a 3-2 win over Poland, while Czech Republic edged past Denmark on penalties.
Turkey also booked a seat in North America, beating Kosovo 1-0 to complete this summer’s World Cup line-up.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]