Italy were dealt a 3-0 blow by Norway at the beginning of their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign on Friday night, which has already brought a genuine risk of missing out on direct qualification

Norway currently leads Group I, putting it in position to qualify directly to the World Cup, though there's a lot of time still left to go. Italy has yet to play a Group I match.

Luciano Spalletti was abruptly sacked as Italy's national football coach following a heavy defeat against Norway. Despite this, he will manage the team once more against Moldova. His dismissal follows Italy's disappointing Euro 2024 performance and a challenging start to World Cup qualifiers.

Italy’s national soccer team coach Luciano Spalletti has announced that he is being fired and will leave after Monday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova.

There is currently a lot of unrest surrounding the Italian national team. After the 0:3 defeat against Norway, Luciano Spalletti announced his departure at the press conference before the game against the Republic of Moldova on Sunday.

Luciano Spalletti said on Sunday he would leave his role as Italy's coach on Monday after the national soccer team plays against Moldova, following the shock loss against Norway, Italian media reported.