As the countdown to the 2026 World Cup continues, Italy face a unique situation regarding its qualification group. The draw for the European qualifying groups will take place on December 13, but the Azzurri, along with other Nations League quarter-finalists, will not know their specific group until March 2025.
The qualification process for the World Cup will see 54 European nations divided into 12 groups—six consisting of five teams and six with four. However, the teams that qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals, including Italy, will have their group assignments determined by the outcomes of those matches. The quarter-finals are scheduled to be played between March 20 and March 25, 2025.
The significance of this arrangement lies in the fact that the four Nations League semi-finalists will begin their World Cup qualifying campaign later than others. This means they must be placed in one of the six groups of four teams, while other teams can be allocated to any group.
Italy, along with France, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands, are among the eight nations that have qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals. The draw for their World Cup qualifying groups will not include these teams’ names until after the quarter-finals are concluded. Instead, placeholders will be used to represent them based on whether they win or lose in their respective matches.
Each team will have two potential group placements—one if they win their quarter-final and another if they are eliminated. This structure adds an element of uncertainty as teams prepare for both the Nations League and World Cup qualification.
With this complex qualification landscape, Italy’s path to the World Cup will depend not only on their performance in upcoming matches but also on how they navigate the challenges posed by their participation in the Nations League.
