Four-time world champions Italy face an unusual and painful predicament: the nation has failed to qualify for the last two FIFA World Cups. The weight of restoring national pride now rests squarely on the shoulders of head coach Gennaro Gattuso, who has named a 28-man squad for the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying play-offs. The biggest surprise in the selection is the return of Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa, a player who has not featured for the Azzurri since their Euro 2024 round-of-16 defeat to Switzerland.
Chiesa, the hero of Euro 2021, brings invaluable experience to a squad that combines seasoned veterans with promising young talent. Italy’s first play-off fixture will take place on 26 March at Bergamo, where they will face Northern Ireland. A victory in this match is only the first step; the winner must then meet the victor of Wales vs Bosnia & Herzegovina on 31 March. Success in that encounter would secure Italy’s passage to the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup. Failure, however, would consign the Azzurri to the ignominious record of missing a third consecutive World Cup.
Gattuso has also invested in youth for this do-or-die mission. Giorgio Scalvini, the 22-year-old Atalanta centre-back who missed Euro 2024 due to a knee injury, has been recalled. Fresh talent will make its debut as well, with 21-year-old defenders Marco Paoletta from Cagliari and Rome’s midfielder Nicolo Pessilio included in the squad. This blend of experience and youth is intended to strike the right balance for high-stakes international competition.
In goal, Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario will be unavailable due to a scheduled hernia operation. Tottenham manager Igor Tudor confirmed that Vicario will play through the pain in a critical match against Nottingham Forest to help his club avoid relegation, after which he will undergo surgery. This leaves Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma as Italy’s undisputed last line of defence for the play-offs.
Key Italy Squad Highlights for 2026 Play-Offs
| Position | Player | Age | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Federico Chiesa | 25 | Liverpool |
| Centre-Back | Giorgio Scalvini | 22 | Atalanta |
| Defender | Marco Paoletta | 21 | Cagliari |
| Midfielder | Nicolo Pessilio | 21 | Roma |
| Goalkeeper | Gianluigi Donnarumma | 27 | Manchester City |
Italy’s 2026 play-off campaign represents more than just qualification—it is a battle for national pride and redemption. With Chiesa’s return and a cohort of young talents eager to impress, Gattuso’s squad must navigate a tense, high-pressure schedule to reclaim Italy’s place on football’s grandest stage. Success would end the national team’s recent World Cup drought, while failure could deepen a painful chapter in the Azzurri’s storied history.
The coming matches are thus a defining moment, testing Italy’s resilience, strategy, and the ability of both veterans and newcomers to rise to the occasion.