World Cup 2026: What is Northern Ireland’s record against Italy?

Northern Ireland have recorded just one victory over Italy in the 11 previous meetings between the two nations.

Michael O’Neill’s side face a trip to Italy in March for the semi-finals of the European play-offs for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

A win for Northern Ireland in that match would set up a final meeting away to the winner of the other Path A semi-final between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the winner of that final qualifying for the World Cup.

The semi-final will take place on Thursday, 26 March. The final takes place five days later.

The first meeting between Northern Ireland and Italy was in April 1957, a qualifying match for the 1958 World Cup which Italy won 1-0.

Following a friendly between the two in December of that year which ended in a 2-2 draw, Northern Ireland won the home World Cup qualifier between the two a month later.

The next four ties between the two were friendlies, with Italy winning all four in 1961, 1997, 2003 and 2009, the latter three of which were without conceding a single goal.

Northern Ireland’s next match in which they would draw with Italy was in qualification for the 2012 European Championships, with Italy held to a goalless draw at Windsor Park in October 2010.

A year later, the sides met again in Pescara. Italy were 3-0 winners of that match.

World Cup qualification matches between the two is nothing new. For the 2022 World Cup, the two nations were in the same qualifying group.

In March 2021, Italy were 2-0 winners in Parma. That was the most recent fixture between the two that was held in Italy.

Eight months later, the two sides faced each other once more inside Windsor Park. Like 11 years earlier, the match ended in a goalless draw.

All seven matches held in Italy have gone in favour of the Italians, but they have never beaten Northern Ireland away from home.