Italy to face Northern Ireland in World Cup play-offs

Four-time World Cup winners Italy will face Northern Ireland in the semifinals of the European playoffs for the 2026 tournament while Ukraine face star-studded Sweden.

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If Italy get through that match on 26 March next year, five days later they will travel to the winner of Wales's semifinal against Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to the draw made in Zurich yesterday.

Despite another error-strewn qualification campaign, the Italians still have a chance of reaching the World Cup finals for the first time since the 2014 tournament in Brazil, having failed to qualify in 2018 and 2022.

Facing the Azzurri will be a daunting challenge for Northern Ireland, who have only beaten the Italians once in 11 meetings, and that was in 1958.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said: “Let’s concentrate on the first match. Northen Ireland are a team that we can beat.

“They're a team that have their own style, they’re very physical... they'll give us a good game but we can do it.