The World Cup play-offs draw takes place in Zurich today and Football Italia takes a look at how it works and Italy’s possible opponents.
The Azzurri failed to qualify by winning their qualification group, so they are now forced to get a spot for Qatar 2022 through the play-offs.
HOW DO THE PLAY-OFFS WORK?
The European play-offs will feature 12 teams, including the ten group runners-up from the first stage of qualifying. The remaining two spots are taken by the best two 2020-21 UEFA Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two in the first round of the Qatar 2022 preliminaries.
The nations will then be split into three four-team paths, with semi-finals and Finals played on a one-leg basis. The three triumphant sides will join the ten group winners from the first round in representing Europe at the World Cup.
WHEN IS THE DRAW? WHEN DO THE PLAY-OFFS TAKE PLACE?
The World Cup play-offs draw will be held today, Friday, November 26 2021 at 16.00 UK time in Zurich.
The semi-finals will take place on March 24 and 25, the Finals on March 28 and 29.
WHO ARE ITALY’S POSSIBLE OPPONENTS?
The best six runners-up are seeded. Each group has two seeded teams that won’t meet in the semis. Italy are among the seeded teams and the same is true of Portugal and Sweden, so Roberto Mancini’s side won’t meet either of them in the first match. The seeded teams will play the semi-final at home. The Finals will be played on a neutral ground.
Seeded: Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Russia, Sweden, Wales.
Unseeded: Turkey, Poland, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Austria (via Nations League), Czech Republic (via Nations League).
I’m guessing Turkey in the seeded group is a mistake? Are the pairings of the seeded teams completely random? It would be very unfortunate for everyone if Italy and Portugal end up in the same group.
Hopefully Mancini can read better than Serie A FAN
The article has Turkey listed in both the Unseed and Seeded
They are to be avoided. They really turned their Qualifying campiagn around when they brought in Stefan Kuntz. Norway were looking good but then this surge by Turkey overtook them.
There ia presendence with drawing Portugal.
We had them in our qualfiers for 1994 and won both matches. Must be avoided, however.
Would prefer to avoid Russia and Sweden as well. Even Scotland play well lately. A fast paced football that could trouble us.
At this point all these teams could give us a hard time . I would say playing Ukraine or Czechs in first game would be best option and then Russia ? But getting Sweden again would be a nice chance for revenge . Avoiding Portugal is a must this is not 1994 when we were stacked with talent
North Macedonia and Wales it must be.
If people say Italy are complacent or not good enough I wont dispute that but if Portugal and Sweden are that good , what are they doing here ?. So, I will say right now, everybody is avoiding everybody. If Italy are unable to score against a Northern Ireland team then they could face a big problem against a Portuguese team with all their stars, the same as if a Portugal with all the stars can lose to Serbia at home then the chance of them losing to Italy is very high as well. So its everybody game here, no favourite, you get it right, you go to the world cup. Its Simple.
True.
But some teams are in the ascendancy (like Scotland and Turkey) while other teams have seen their form dip.
Just because we smacked Turkey around last June it will happen again automatically. Getting rid of Sunol Gunes was the best thing they could have done. This German they brought in is doing quite the job.
Portugal fans despise Fernando Santos and blame him for their issues. Defensive-minded dinosaur.
Italy drew Portugal in path C. Just watched the selection telecast.
Italy really screwed themselves.
Scotland and Wales drew each other in path A.
Let’s see who we get in the first match.
This is a joke. I cannot believe this crap.
Portugal vs Turkey in semifinal 6. Winner is the home team.
Should Italy beat N. Macedonia in Italy then the Azzurri would need to play in either Portugal or Turkey in the pathway C final to reach WC 2022.
Fifa and UEFA screw Italy and Italy screw themselves.
Pathway C: Semifinal 5: We drew N. Macedonia in the semifinal to be played in Italy.
Pathway C: Semifinal 6: Portugal drew Turkey to be played in Portugal.
Winner of Semifinal 5 will play away to either Portugal or Turkey as Semifinal 5 was drawn as the home pathway C final.
Correction: Semifinal 6 was drawn as the home designation for the pathway C final.
What a joke. Corrupt Fifa and UEFA. Italy have only themselves to blame.
If they fail to make it to WC 2022 then Seria A management and technical staff are culpable for not playing more Italian young talent.
I don’t think it’s so much about the young talent as much as it is Italy’s complacency and inability to finish there chances. Maybe a little bad luck mixed with injuries to some key players but no excuses cause we have more than enough talent to beat Bulgaria. We had many chances to win, against Switzerland we were the better team both games but couldn’t finish our chances not to mention 2 jorginho missed penalties. They should of had someone else take the last one like insigne,Berardi or Bonucci. I know what Mancini wanted and what jorginho wanted and needed was to score a penalty for his confidence and to get the monkey off his back but he was no confident and he was indecisive, he should of never stepped up and is one of the reasons it cost us from automatically qualifying and could potentially cost us a place in Qatar. I hate how the draw is for these one off games, anything can happen in a one off and makes it exciting for neutrals but not if your team is in it. I mean we’re euro champs and a seeded team yet if we get pass North Macedonia we have to play in Turkey or Portugal? Doesn’t make much sense, I understand being home if ur seeded but if 2 seeded teams meet in final it should be played on neutral ground cause that’s a huge advantage. It won’t be easy but we have the talent,depth, experience and pedigree to get there but we will need a healthy squad and a little luck