What improbable result Italy need against Norway to qualify for 2026 World Cup

Italy are practically guaranteed to end up in the playoffs in March, as they will need to defeat Norway by nine goals on Sunday to secure a direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Italy are already preparing for the World Cup qualifying playoffs in March 2026, as they’ll need an unlikely result against Norway on Sunday to secure a direct pass to the tournament.

The Azzurri beat Moldova 2-0 last night, while Norway secured a 4-1 victory against Estonia.

This means Italy remain in second place in Group I, three points below Erling Haaland’s side.

However, Norway hold a far superior goal difference, ahead of the Azzurri by 17 (+29 compared to +12).

Therefore, Italy won’t only need to win when they host Norway at San Siro on Sunday, but to overtake their rivals at the top of the table, they’ll need at least a nine-goal margin.

It goes without saying that it is a highly unlikely result, so the Azzurri already know they’ll have to go through the playoffs in March to achieve World Cup qualification.