Italy Fails to Qualify for 2026 World Cup After Penalty Shootout Defeat to Bosnia

Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing a penalty shootout 4-1 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica on Tuesday, marking the Azzurri's third consecutive absence from the tournament. Moise Kean gave Italy the lead with a strike from the edge of the area in the 15th minute, but the match turned decisively when defender Alessandro Bastoni received a straight red card for a last-man foul in the 41st or 42nd minute, leaving Italy to play the remainder of the game with 10 men. Haris Tabakovic equalized for Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 minutes from time, sending the match to extra time and then penalties. Substitutes Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante both missed their spot kicks for Italy, while Esmir Bajraktarevic converted the decisive penalty to seal a 4-1 shootout victory for the hosts and send Bosnia to the World Cup.

Gattuso in tears, refuses to discuss his future Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, who replaced Luciano Spalletti early in the qualification campaign after a defeat to Norway, was visibly emotional after the final whistle and apologized to the nation while defending his players' effort. Gattuso, one of the heroes of Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph, declined to address questions about his future, saying the result was what mattered. „Today the boys didn't deserve a beating like this. We were left with 10 players, we had three decent chances and they barely troubled us. I'm sorry, this is football and I'm proud of my boys.” — Gennaro Gattuso via Reuters He also told Rai television that the defeat was "unjust" given the circumstances, adding that the red card had transformed the match into a siege. „These guys didn't deserve a sucker punch like this, given their determination and commitment.” — Gennaro Gattuso via ANSA Gattuso acknowledged the broader pain of the result for Italian football, describing it as "a blow that's difficult to digest" for the country and its football movement. Despite his contract expiring this summer, FIGC president Gabriele Gravina publicly asked Gattuso to remain in charge of the national team.

Gravina faces resignation calls, federal council convened Gravina, who has served as FIGC president since 2018, acknowledged the mounting pressure on his own position and announced he had already called a federal council meeting for the following week to evaluate the situation. Speaking at a post-match press conference, Gravina praised the players and the coach while deflecting immediate questions about his own future. „I understand the request for resignation given the situation, but there is a suitable place to make the evaluations.” — Gabriele Gravina via Reuters He confirmed that the Federal Council would be the appropriate body to decide on any leadership changes within Italian football. Gravina was elected FIGC chief in 2018 after his predecessor Carlo Tavecchio stepped down following Italy's first playoff elimination, a defeat to Sweden that cost the Azzurri a place at Russia 2018, according to ANSA. The 9,500-capacity Bilino Polje stadium in Zenica, described by ANSA as a "dilapidated suburban stadium" that becomes a fortress on big nights, hosted the match in front of a crowd that included UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and tennis player Novak Djokovic, according to the same report.

Twenty years since Italy's last World Cup win, no clear path forward The defeat deepens a structural crisis in Italian football that has now produced three consecutive World Cup absences, a run without precedent for a nation that has won the tournament four times. Italy previously failed to qualify for Russia 2018, losing a playoff to Sweden, and for Qatar 2022, losing a playoff to North Macedonia, according to Reuters. 20 (years) — since Italy last won the World Cup, in 2006 The 20th anniversary of Italy's last World Cup title falls on July 9, during the 2026 finals to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, according to ANSA. Gianluigi Buffon, a member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad and currently involved with the national team setup, pointed to decisions made two decades ago as the root of the current decline. „Today's results are the consequence of our attitude from 20 years ago, when we clung onto our best players like Cannavaro and Totti, thinking they would last forever. Right then we should have been rethinking our tactical and technical models.” — Gianluigi Buffon via ANSA Italy's European Championship title defence also ended at the last 16 in 2024, with a defeat to Switzerland, and the country has not played a knockout match at a World Cup since 2006, according to ANSA.

Italy's 2026 playoff exit is the latest chapter in a prolonged decline for one of football's most decorated nations. The country won the World Cup in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006, but has not advanced beyond the group stage of the tournament since that last triumph. The 2018 absence, caused by a playoff defeat to Sweden, was the first time Italy had missed a World Cup since 1958. The 2022 absence followed a shock playoff loss to North Macedonia. Italy did win the European Championship in 2021, but their title defence ended at the round of 16 in 2024.

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