Italy in crisis: What remains for 2026 after humiliation in the World Cup?

Italy out of the 2026 World Cup: the drama shaking Italian football and the challenges ahead

The humiliation of seeing Italy fail to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time has left a huge void in the country’s football calendar. While the entire world prepares to land in North America for the 2026 World Cup, the Azzurri are facing a deep crisis, both on and off the field, and are desperately seeking a path to reconstruction.

Without the World Cup, the Italian summer will be bleak: in June, the only light will be a friendly match against Greece, a clash that barely conceals the absence of a competition that Italy has won four times. The game will take place in an atmosphere laden with uncertainty — with no elected president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), a new coach awaiting affirmation, and a national football scene questioning its future.

The painful defeat in Bosnia in March, which sealed their elimination, has left deep scars. At that fateful match in Zenica, figures such as Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee Luciano Buonfiglio, and then FIGC President Gabriele Gravina were present. But none of this prevented the disaster that now plagues Italy.

However, not all is lost: the true test begins in September, with the entry into the UEFA Nations League, in Group A1, where Italy will face France, Belgium, and Turkey — a highly demanding group that conceals a valuable opportunity for the Italians to regain prestige and confidence. The schedule is tight: the opening match will be at home against Belgium on September 25, followed by an away trip to Turkey just three days later. October will bring the biggest challenge, with a visit to France on October 2 and a return home to face Turkey. The group stage will conclude in November, with a game in Italy against France and a final away match in Belgium.

This Nations League is much more than just a series of matches; it represents a concrete pathway for Italy to become relevant again in European and world football. The group winner not only secures prestige and points for the ranking but also influences qualification for Euro 2028. For the new coach and the leaders who will take control of the team, this competition is the ideal platform to begin a serious and structured reconstruction.

Legends of Italian football such as Alessandro Del Piero, Fabio Capello, and Franco Baresi have already called for humility and the willingness to start from scratch. The anger and embarrassment caused by the playoff elimination must be transformed into strength to reform Italian football in all its aspects.

As much as the Nations League may still seem like a less glamorous stage for the Azzurri, it is precisely here that Italy must begin its path to rebirth. The setting is demanding, the pressure is immense, but the future of Italian football depends on the ability to turn this crisis into a real opportunity for change. The 2026 World Cup may be a nightmare for Italians, but the upcoming challenge could be the redemption that the country so desperately needs.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.