Four-time FIFA World Cup winners Italy have failed to qualify for each of the last two editions of the tournament, while they have now lost successive qualifiers for the first time in their history

Norway currently leads Group I, putting it in position to qualify directly to the World Cup, though there's a lot of time still left to go. Italy has yet to play a Group I match.

Italy crashed to a 3-0 loss away to Norway, as the four-time FIFA World Cup champions made a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, while Belgium had to settle for a draw in North Macedonia.