The European play-offs will feature 12 teams, but only three will qualify for the World Cup. Who could Italy face in March?
The Azzurri were held to a 0-0 draw by Northern Ireland, while Switzerland beat Bulgaria 4-0, meaning Roberto Mancini’s side will need to go through the play-offs to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
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 will be 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 a final ensuing in each. 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 on Friday, November 26 2021 at 17.00 CET 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, so it remains to be seen which countries will be the best ones after the end of the group stage which will be completed tomorrow. Each group has two seeded teams that won’t meet in the semis.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden are among the most dangerous potential opponents for Italy. However, just like Italy, both countries are seeded teams, so they can’t meet in the semis.
Finland or Ukraine could be runners-up in Group D, with France already qualified.
Belgium have booked their place in Group E from where Italy could pick Wales or the Czech Republic. Both teams will take part in the play-offs as they were among the best sides in the Nations League.
The Netherlands, Turkey or Norway are all in the race to win Group G, while Russia are the runner-up of Group H and so are North Macedonia in Group J and Scotland in Group F and Poland in Group I. Austria will take part in the World Cup play-offs as one of the best teams in the Nations League.
The seeded teams are: Portugal, Italy, Sweden, Scotland, Russia and one between Poland and Wales.