Italy suffered a devastating play-off defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, confirming their absence from a third consecutive World Cup. This outcome makes the four-time winners the first former champions in history to miss three straight tournaments, extending their World Cup drought to at least 16 years. The Azzurri's last appearance in the knockout stages was their 2006 final victory.

Matters worsened for Gennaro Gattuso’s side after Alessandro Bastoni received a first-half red card in the 41st minute for a last-man foul. While Moise Kean initially put Italy ahead after exploiting an error from Bosnian keeper Nikola Vasilj, substitute Haris Tabakovic forced extra time with a late equalizer in the 79th minute. Only Sandro Tonali managed to score for Italy from the spot.

Bosnia and Herzegovina converted all four of their penalties to secure their place in the finals, joining co-hosts Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland in Group B. Elsewhere, Viktor Gyokeres' late strike sent Graham Potter’s Sweden past Poland, and the Czech Republic ousted Denmark in a penalty shootout, securing their first World Cup berth in two decades. Turkey also advanced after beating Kosovo 1-0 in Pristina.

This failure marks a profound low point for Italian football, especially considering their recent European Championship success. The team now faces intense scrutiny following a second consecutive qualification failure after their previous tournament absence in 1958. Bosnia and Herzegovina progresses to their second World Cup finals appearance.