Heading to Qatar: Italy or Portugal will not be at 2022 World Cup if they fail to beat their opponents.
Portugal and Italy will not be at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Both football heavyweights were drawn in Path C where only one team will emerge from. Only winners of each qualification path from the playoffs will join the European contingent heading to Qatar.
Portugal has not missed a World Cup since 2002, while Italy did not make it to the last edition in Russia, the first time they missed out on the global showpiece event since 1958.
The twelve teams were divided into three paths, with each path consisting of four teams. The four teams in each path were then paired into semi-finals. The winner of the semi-finals in each path will play a one-legged final to detemine the winner of the path.
While Italy will play North Macedonia, Portugal will host Turkey. In the event that they both win their semi-final, they will play a one-legged final where only one winner can emerge. They also risk missing out if they fail to beat their respective opponents in the semi-final.
Both Portugal and Italy parade some of the best players in the world, including Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United.
The semi-finals in each path are listed below:
Path A
Scotland vs Ukraine vs Wales vs Austria
Path B
Russia vs Poland vs Sweden vs Czech Republic
Path C
Italy vs North Macedonia vs Portugal vs Turkey
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