Italy's latest World Cup failure labeled ‘3rd apocalypse.’ It's the new norm for the 4-time champion - AP News

AP News
April 1, 2026
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Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup again, marking a continued decline for the four-time champion.

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Italy has failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking the nation's third consecutive tournament absence—a historic collapse for a four-time World Cup champion. The Italian Football Federation's description of the failure as an "apocalypse" underscores the magnitude of the setback in a country where soccer is a cornerstone of national identity. Italy's absence from the last two World Cups (2018 and 2022) signaled a decline in the squad's competitiveness, but missing three straight tournaments represents an unprecedented era of underperformance for the storied program. The repeated failures have sparked intense scrutiny of Italian football's development systems, coaching decisions, and player talent pipeline. This continued struggle threatens Italy's standing as a traditional powerhouse and raises questions about how quickly the federation can rebuild toward future qualifying campaigns.

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