Italy Haunted Again by the Threat of Missing the World Cup

Italy’s national team has suffered a noticeable decline in recent years, having missed the last two FIFA World Cup editions, shifting from a traditional powerhouse in world football to a side striving to regain balance and return to the global stage. The Azzurri now find themselves once again facing the challenge of the European playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, for the third consecutive time, as they attempt to end a run of disappointments and secure qualification for the world’s biggest tournament.

The four-time World Cup winners and two-time European champions are preparing for a decisive clash against Northern Ireland in Bergamo in the semi-finals of Path A of the European playoffs. This match represents a crucial step on their road to qualification. Should Italy overcome this hurdle, they will face the winner of Wales vs Bosnia in the final of the same path.

Italian football officials attribute this decline to several factors, most notably a lack of effective squad renewal, along with technical and administrative issues that have impacted the team’s stability and performances in major tournaments.

This difficult phase coincides with the 20th anniversary of Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph in Germany, where they defeated France—a historic achievement that could turn into a painful memory if the team fails to qualify for the 2026 tournament, set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Despite winning UEFA Euro 2021, Italy have struggled to maintain consistency. They were eliminated in the group stage of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, missed out on the 2018 and 2022 editions, and exited in the Round of 16 at Euro 2024—highlighting the depth of the crisis and their ongoing effort to return to the elite of international football.

Here are the key stats that may help you predict the correct score via Betway:

• Italy have not conceded a goal in their last 7 matches against Northern Ireland (5 wins, 2 draws) since Billy McAdams scored in a 3-2 friendly win for Italy in April 1961.
• Northern Ireland have lost all 7 of their away matches against Italy by an aggregate score of 16-2, failing to score in 6 of those 7 visits.
• This is the third consecutive time Italy have entered the World Cup playoffs—losing 1-0 on aggregate to Sweden before the 2018 finals and then being eliminated in the semi-finals in 2022 by North Macedonia (1-0 in Palermo).
• The only previous time Northern Ireland played a World Cup qualifying playoff was ahead of the 2018 tournament, when they lost 1-0 on aggregate to Switzerland (1-0 at home, 0-0 away).
• Italy have lost 2 of their last 5 home matches in World Cup qualifying (3 wins), after being unbeaten in their previous 59 matches between 1934 and 2021. They suffered a 4-1 defeat to Norway in their most recent home game, conceding as many goals in that match as they had in their previous 13 home qualifiers combined.
• Northern Ireland have lost their last 6 competitive away matches against teams ranked in the top 20.
• Francesco Pio Esposito has scored 3 goals in his last 4 World Cup qualifying matches—all three of his goals for the Italian national team.

For fans looking to back their prediction on Italy’s crucial World Cup playoff clash, Betway stands out as the best online betting site in Kuwait, offering a reliable and engaging platform to follow every moment of the Azzurri’s journey.