Italy finds itself facing the looming challenge of Manchester City and Norway’s star striker, Erling Haaland, as they gear up for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, following their exit from the Nations League.
The quarter-final results of the Nations League have now set the stage for UEFA’s qualifying rounds, which kicked off this week in earnest. As Italy embarks on their journey to secure a spot in the 48-team World Cup set for June, they find themselves positioned in Group I after falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.
Their opening match will be a test against Norway in Oslo, where Haaland is likely eager to face an Italian defense that stumbled in a frenetic 3-3 draw against Germany. Haaland fired Norway’s opening salvo in their campaign to secure their first World Cup spot since 1998, with a solid 5-0 victory over Moldova.
The group also includes Israel and Estonia, presenting a varied challenge for the Italian squad.
On the other side, Germany has already assured themselves at least a play-off place thanks to their strong performance in the Nations League. In Group A, they will be the favorites against Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg.
France, eyeing a third consecutive World Cup final, will kick off their qualifying against Ukraine on September 5. Like Germany, France, along with Spain and Portugal, have the safety net of a potential play-off from their Nations League performances. In Group D, they face Iceland and Azerbaijan as well.
Spain finds itself in Group E alongside Turkey, Georgia, and Bulgaria, buoyed by their triumph over Georgia during their victorious Euro 2024 campaign. Meanwhile, Portugal will face Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, and Armenia in Group F.
The Netherlands, after their penalty shootout defeat to Spain in the Nations League, enter Group G, where they are slated to compete against Finland, Poland, Lithuania, and Malta, starting with a June 7 fixture in Helsinki.
Croatia’s shootout misfortune against France means they are slotting into Group L. There, they’ll face Montenegro and the Czech Republic, both teams having secured early victories against Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands, respectively. The Croatians start their campaign against Gibraltar in June.
Finally, Denmark finds itself in Group C, sharing the spotlight with Scotland, Greece, and Belarus, setting the stage for an exciting series of qualifiers in the coming months.
