Italy could face former conquerorspublished at 12:28 GMT
Sophie Brown
BBC Sport
Italy are the top-ranked team in the play-off draw and will
be desperate to avoid missing out on a third successive World Cup.
But in their play-off semi-final, the Azzurri could well
face one of the teams who have knocked them out of the play-offs in the two
previous qualifying campaigns.
The four-time winners lost 1-0 to Sweden over a two-legged contest
for a place at the 2018 World Cup, and were stunned 1-0 at home by North
Macedonia in a play-off semi-final ahead of the 2022 showpiece in Qatar.
Since their debut at the tournament in 1934, the only other
time Italy have missed a World Cup was in 1958, when they were pipped to the
qualifying spot in their final group game by Northern Ireland, another team
they could face in the 2026 play-offs.
Alongside Sweden, North Macedonia and Northern Ireland,
Italy could also face Romania in the play-off semi-finals.
Image source, Getty Images
