Italy Set to End Its World Cup Drought After Win Over Israel

It appears the Azzuri will finally be returning to soccer’s biggest stage.

Italy’s national team stepped up when it needed to this month, delivering a crucial 3-0 win against Israel. The two nations had been locked in a tight battle to qualify from Group I, leading to concerns that the Azzuri would miss their third consecutive World Cup. 

With the win, those concerns seem to be over.

Expanded Field Adds Extra Pressure

Italy has a long history of success at the World Cup, but things started to change over a decade ago. The team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in a stunning blow to the country’s impressive program. Things were made even worse when the Azzuri failed to qualify again in 2022, further eroding the team's prestige.

An expanded field for the 2026 World Cup gave Italy an easier path to qualifying, but it also added more pressure for the squad. We believe that played a role in their opening 3-0 loss to Norway, which drew a lot of negative media attention. Concerns remained after Italy barely held on to beat Israel in September, keeping to the sides even in the group standings.

Despite a flurry of headlines about Italy potentially missing out on a third-straight World Cup, the Azurri stepped up and delivered one of the biggest wins in the program’s recent history.

Will Italy be Competitive in 2026?

While qualifying for the World Cup is a victory for Italy, fans will undoubtedly be eager to return to competing for another title. If you believe bookmakers, they might get to see that this summer.

Soccer betting sites have jumped Italy’s odds to win the 2026 World Cup into the top ten. Most sportsbooks are available in the Netherlands and Uruguay, but are still trailing far behind the traditional powers. While that suggests they may not add another title this summer, it shows bookmakers believe they have a real chance to advance to the knockout stage.

Unlike in past years, offense seems to be this squad's biggest strength. They are averaging 3.0 goals per game during the qualifying, which could hand them a massive advantage as they prepare to head to North America.

Azzuri Could Still Win Group I

While we are celebrating Italy’s potential qualification, their qualifying run isn’t over yet. They trail Norway by just three points with two matches remaining. They will face off in the final qualifying match on November 16, with first place on the line.

Italy lost its first qualifying match to Norway back in June, but has looked far better since. Unfortunately, Norway has looked even better. They are 6-0 with a +26 goal differential, the highest mark in the league.