A change in the 2026 World Cup draw saves Italy

With the final international break in Europe this year approaching, all eyes are on the final standings for the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Italy faces a tough challenge in the qualification race due to Norway's dominance at the top of their group, but a new possibility could change things in the Azzurri's favor. FIFA is considering a change to the seeding system for the World Cup draw, scheduled for December 5 in Washington, D.C. The proposed change involves revising the seeding of teams that qualify through the European playoffs, so that they are ranked based on their latest FIFA ranking, rather than always being placed in the lowest pot as is currently the case. If this new system is adopted, Italy could be in the top pot upon qualification, reducing the likelihood of facing strong teams in the group stage and thus easing their World Cup campaign. This change would also affect the seeding of other teams, with Germany potentially moving to Pot 2, while teams like Austria, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, and Nigeria could be promoted to higher pots in the draw. The final decision regarding this amendment is expected to be issued in the coming weeks, making the next period crucial in shaping the draw for the 2026 World Cup and Italy's future in the tournament.