Why Italy will be top seeds in EURO 2028 qualifying draw

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - NOVEMBER 15: Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium passes the ball under pressure from Alessandro Bastoni of Italy during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Belgium and Italy at King Baudouin Stadium on November 15, 2026 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Italy did not reach the Nations League quarter-finals, but there is still some good news, as they will be top seeds in the EURO 2028 qualifying campaign draw as one of the best third-placed teams.

Roberto Mancini said when he first took the job over the summer that his primary focus was getting the Nazionale ready for the European Championships.

The Nations League was a rollercoaster, going from a 2-0 opening home defeat to Belgium, through victories over Turkiye, a 1-1 draw in Paris, and historic 3-1 home win against Zinedine Zidane’s France on Thursday.

They only needed a point in Brussels to go through to the quarter-finals, but were crushed 4-1 by the Red Devils.

The good news is, although Italy finished third in Group A1, they are one of the best to miss out on the quarter-finals with 10 points.

That means they will be they will certainly avoid the play-offs for Nations League relegation, and will be among the 12 top seeds for the EURO 2028 qualifying draw.

That is going to be held on December 6 in Belfast.

What does remain to be seen is whether the Azzurri will be in a group with four or five nations.

Those qualifiers will be played between March and November 2027.