What Italy need to do to be seeded for the Euro 2028 qualifying draw
epa09339259 Players of Italy celebrate after winning the UEFA EURO 2020 final between Italy and England in London, Britain, 11 July 2021. EPA-EFE/Michael Regan / POOL (RESTRICTIONS: For editorial news reporting purposes only. Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage. Photographs published in online publications shall have an interval of at least 20 seconds between the posting.)
Italy’s results in the 2026-27 Nations League group phase will affect not only the FIFA Ranking but also the draw for the 2028 Euro qualifying.
Italy have faced Turkiye twice, and Belgium and France in the opening four games of the 2026-27 Nations League.
After the first four rounds, the Azzurri remain confident they will finish in the top two. Bookmakers on new betting sites still see the Azzurri as genuine quarter-final contenders, which they’ll secure with a top-two finish.
The Azzurri’s minimum target, however, remains to avoid the bottom place, not just because of a potential relegation to the second division.
All the teams finishing in the top three, in fact, secure a seeding spot in the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, which will take place on December 6, 2026.
Securing a top-three finish would, technically, give Italy a safer path to the next major tournament, taking place in the UK and Ireland in less than two years.
As for the Nations League itself, finishing in the top two earns a place in the quarter-finals, while the two lowest-ranked fourth-placed teams drop to the second division. The other two finishing at the bottom will face, in a relegation play-off, the two lowest-ranked third-placed teams, whereas the two highest-ranked third-placed teams secure survival.
One of Italy’s most positive results was a 1-1 away draw against France, in Zinédine Zidane’s home debut as the new Les Bleus coach.
“We knew it would be a very difficult match, especially at the start, but we did well to allow them very little in terms of chances, even if they had more possession,” Mancini said at full-time.
“We played as a team, attacking and defending together, and so it is certainly a very positive evening for us,” added Mancini.
“I wanted this to be another step forward in our journey. I liked that we tried to play football, despite being against an extraordinary France side full of champions.
“At times we suffered, but always tried to score goals whenever we had the chance, so that’s very good.”
After facing Turkiye at home and away, France away and Belgium at home, Italy will return to the field in November for the last two games of the year.
On November 12, they’ll host France at Stadio Meazza (San Siro), Milan, and three days later, on November 15, they’ll visit Belgium for the final group-stage game.
Mancini returned as Italy’s head coach after resigning in 2023. The 61-year-old signed a contract with the Italian Federation through 2030, aiming to bring the Azzurri back to the World Cup in four years.
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