Four-time world champions Italy suffered a devastating exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers after losing 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a dramatic playoff in Zenica, marking their third consecutive failure to qualify for football’s biggest stage.
The match ended 1-1 after extra time before Bosnia held their nerve in the shootout to book their place at the 2026 World Cup, their first appearance since 2014.
Italy started brightly and looked in control early on when Moise Kean capitalised on a costly error from Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj to give the Azzurri a 15th-minute lead. However, the game shifted dramatically before half-time when centre-back Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul, reducing Italy to 10 men.
From that point, Italy were forced into a defensive approach as Bosnia pushed for an equaliser. The pressure eventually paid off in the 79th minute when Haris Tabakovic levelled the score to send the match into extra time.
With neither side able to find a winner after 120 minutes, the tie went to penalties, where Italy collapsed under pressure. Sandro Tonali was the only Italian to convert, while Pio Esposito missed the target and Bryan Cristante struck the underside of the bar. Bosnia, in contrast, converted all four of their penalties, with Esmir Bajraktarevic scoring the decisive kick.
“We still can’t believe it,” said Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola after the defeat, expressing heartbreak for the team and fans. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso also apologised, admitting the team had fallen short of expectations.
Italy’s World Cup pain continues as fans react online
The result means Italy will miss the World Cup for a third straight edition, having also failed to qualify in 2018 and 2022. Their last appearance on the global stage came in 2014, when they exited at the group stage in Brazil.
Elsewhere in the European playoffs, Czechia, Sweden and Türkiye secured their qualification for the 2026 tournament, completing UEFA’s allocation of 16 teams for the expanded World Cup.
Also Read: Italy crash out as Czechia, Sweden and Turkiye seal FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification spots
Sweden edged Poland 3-2 in a thrilling encounter, while Czechia overcame Denmark in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 aggregate draw. Türkiye sealed their return after 24 years with a narrow 1-0 win over Kosovo.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, featuring 48 teams for the first time in history.
The result sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with fans expressing disbelief, frustration and sarcasm over Italy’s repeated failures.
“April fools day??”
“Well done Bosnia”
“3 times in a row… Even my WiFi has better consistency than Italy ”
“How can you miss two penalties in a row; they are not serious bro”
“It’s time for Italian football to look beyond the current generation and start building for the 2030 World Cup.”
“Italy went from winning the Euros to losing on penalties to Bosnia. That’s not character development; that’s a full franchise reboot.”