Roberto Mancini names 34-man Italy squad with nine uncapped players for Nations League

Expanded roster and new call-ups

Roberto Mancini announced a 34-man squad on Friday for Italy's opening fixtures in the 2026–2027 Nations League, beginning his second tenure as head coach. The enlarged selection incorporates nine uncapped players receiving their first senior international call-ups to prepare for a condensed autumn schedule. These newcomers include Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina, Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, Brentford fullback Michael Kayode, and Monza defender Eddy Kouadio. Mancini also selected Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano, Sporting CP midfielder Issa Doumbia, Sassuolo forward Sebastiano Esposito, Napoli winger Antonio Vergara, and 1. FC Nürnberg forward Mohamed Ali Zoma. Young players Honest Ahanor of Crystal Palace and Samuele Inacio of Borussia Dortmund retained their squad positions after featuring in friendly matches earlier in June. Sebastiano Esposito joins his younger brother, Inter forward Francesco Pio Esposito, in the attacking group.

Recalls and notable omissions

The squad list features the return of several players who had spent extended periods away from the national team. Midfielder Rolando Mandragora earned his first call-up since March 2021, while Nicolò Fagioli and Nicolò Zaniolo returned to the setup after absences dating back to October 2024. Cagliari forward Daniel Maldini received a call-up despite having his driving licence suspended days earlier following a car collision in Milan in which he was over the legal alcohol limit. Striker Mateo Retegui was left out as he continues his physical recovery from an injury suffered in April, despite scoring four goals in seven matches in Saudi Arabia. Mancini also omitted experienced wingers Matteo Politano, Federico Bernardeschi, and Mattia Zaccagni to assess younger options on the flanks. A group of regular starters missed out through injury, including Federico Chiesa, Manuel Locatelli, Alessandro Buongiorno, Giovanni Leoni, Marco Palestra, and Alex Meret.

Administrative changes and managerial transition

Mancini took charge of the national team following a period of organizational changes within the Italian Football Federation. The managerial vacancy arose after Gennaro Gattuso departed and negotiations to appoint Andrea Pirlo collapsed over commercial ties to a Russian betting company. The federation appointed former Olympic fencing champion Diana Bianchedi as the new head of delegation, making her the first woman to occupy that position for the senior men's squad. The technical department operates alongside technical director Claudio Ranieri, while the position of federation president Giovanni Malagò faces potential procedural scrutiny. The team is entering the Nations League seeking a fresh start after missing out on qualification for the 2026 World Cup following a playoff defeat against Bosnia.

Nations League schedule

Italy will contest four Nations League matches across an 11-day window between late September and early October. The squad gathers at the Coverciano training ground on Sunday evening before conducting its first training session on Monday, 21 September. The campaign begins on 25 September against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Italy then travel to Bursa to play Turkey at the Ataturk Spor Kompleksi on 28 September, before travelling to Saint-Denis to face France on 2 October. The opening window concludes on 5 October with a return fixture against Turkey at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna.