World Cup play-off: Italy vs. Northern Ireland official line-ups
World Cup play-off: Italy vs. Northern Ireland official line-ups Alessandro Bastoni and Matteo Politano start with Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui as Italy host Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final. It kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo at 19.
45 GMT (20. 45 CET). You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.
The winner will be decided tonight after 90 minutes, extra time, or even a penalty shoot-out. Whoever goes through can then face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final on Tuesday March 31. There will be a minute’s silence before kick-off for former Italy, Bologna, Napoli and Atalanta striker Beppe Savoldi.
MILAN – NOVEMBER 16: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy, looks on prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) The Nazionale have missed the last two editions of the World Cup, losing the play-offs to Sweden for 2018 and North Macedonia in 2022. There were some injury doubts going in, and Gianluca Scamacca has been left in the stands along with Andrea Cambiaso, Nicolò Cambiaghi, Diego Coppola and Elia Caprile.
Both Inter defender Bastoni and Napoli winger Politano got the all-clear and are in the starting XI, preferred to Marco Palestra, with Riccardo Calafiori, Sandro Tonali and Gianluca Mancini also shaking off knocks. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – SEPTEMBER 09: Moise Kean of Italy celebrates after scoring the second goal during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A2 match between Israel and Italy at Bozsik Arena on September 09, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Kean and Retegui are confirmed as the attacking partnership, with Francesco Pio Esposito ready to come off the bench.