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Italy will begin their 2026 World Cup play-off journey with a semi-final clash against Northern Ireland, following Thursday’s draw in Zurich.
The tie will be played on March 26 next year at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Italy.
The winner of that encounter will travel five days later to face either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina in the final, as the four-time world champions attempt to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 2014.
Italy failed to reach both the 2018 and 2022 editions, prompting intense scrutiny over their recent qualification struggles.
Northern Ireland, meanwhile, face a formidable task. The two nations have met 11 times, with the Irish celebrating victory only once — back in 1958. Nonetheless, Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso struck a confident tone, insisting his side must remain focused.
“We have to concentrate on the first match. Northern Ireland are a team we can beat,” Gattuso said. “They’re physical, they have their own approach… They’ll make it difficult, but we can handle it. We know how tough Wales and Bosnia can be, especially in Cardiff, but all our attention is on the semi-final.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine will face Sweden in the other high-profile semi-final, with the Swedes likely to field elite attacking talents such as Liverpool’s £125 million forward Alexander Isak and Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres.
Despite their star-studded squad, Sweden endured a dismal qualification campaign, finishing bottom of their group. They only reached the play-offs through their earlier Nations League performance. Their newly appointed manager, former Brighton and Chelsea coach Graham Potter, now faces a daunting task.
Potter described the fixture as “a fantastic opportunity”, adding, “We need to make sure we’re in a very good place come March and use the time wisely.”
The winner will go on to face either Poland or Albania, with Albania seeking a first-ever appearance at football’s biggest tournament.
In other play-off fixtures, the Republic of Ireland, who secured their play-off berth after Troy Parrott’s dramatic late winner in Hungary, face a challenging trip to the Czech Republic. The winner will then host either Denmark or North Macedonia in the final.
Turkey have been drawn against Romania — the surprise quarter-finalists when the tournament was last held in the United States in 1994.
The victor will then meet either Slovakia or Kosovo, both of whom are chasing a maiden World Cup appearance.
All European semi-finals are scheduled for March 26, with the finals set for March 31.
The inter-continental play-off draw sees New Caledonia, who are hoping to reach their first World Cup finals, paired with Jamaica. The winner will meet the seeded Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bolivia will take on Suriname — another nation seeking a debut appearance — with the winner advancing to a decisive playoff against Iraq.
The ties will be staged in March next year.
The expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup has already paved the way for several debutant nations, including Curaçao and Uzbekistan.
