Decisive day for struggling four-time champion Italy in World Cup playoff at Bosnia
By ANDREW DAMPF
Associated Press
Associated Press
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Bosnia Italy WCup Soccer Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso listens to the questions of journalists during the press conference ahead of the World Cup playoff final soccer match against Bosnia in Zenica, Bosnia, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Armin Durgut/AP)
Bosnia Italy WCup Soccer Italy's Marco Palestra, right, walks on the pitch ahead of Tuesday's World Cup playoff final soccer match against Bosnia, at the Bilino Polje stadium, in Zenica, Bosnia, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Armin Durgut/AP)
Bosnia Italy WCup Soccer Bosnia's captain Edin Dzeko gestures during the training session ahead of the World Cup playoff final soccer match against Italy, at the Butmir training centre, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Armin Durgut/AP)
Bosnia Italy WCup Soccer From left to right, Italy's Matteo Politano, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Manuel Locatelli walk on the pitch ahead of Tuesday's World Cup playoff final soccer match against Bosnia, at the Bilino Polje stadium, in Zenica, Bosnia, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Armin Durgut/AP)
Bosnia Italy WCup Soccer Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso walks on the pitch ahead of Tuesday's World Cup playoff final soccer match against Bosnia, at the Bilino Polje stadium, in Zenica, Bosnia, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Armin Durgut/AP)
It’s a decisive day for one of soccer’s historic powers.
Struggling Italy visits Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European qualifying playoffs on Tuesday with the four-time champion desperate not to miss out on a third straight World Cup.
Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia in qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups and has not appeared at soccer’s biggest event since 2014.
In last week’s European playoff semifinals, Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0. Bosnia eliminated Wales in a penalty shootout.
Tuesday's other European playoff finals are: Sweden vs. Poland; Kosovo vs. Turkey; and the Czech Republic vs. Denmark.
All four matches are scheduled to kickoff at 8:45 p.m. local time (1845 GMT; 2:45 p.m. ET).
Italy’s World Cup struggles began soon after its last title in 2006: The Azzurri were eliminated from the 2014 and 2018 finals at the group stage.
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