Can Italy avoid another qualifying catastrophe in World Cup playoffs?

The group phase of European qualifying for the 2026 World Cup came to a dramatic end Tuesday, with five teams securing their tournament berths on the final day of action.

The results also crystallized the path forward for the nations that weren't able to win their respective groups and earn automatic spots at next summer's supersized event in North America.

The 12 runners-up in those groups will now head to the UEFA playoffs, and they'll be joined by four teams that earned a playoff berth through strong performances in the Nations League. The playoffs take place March 2026.

Italy, which failed to qualify for the last two World Cups following stunning playoff failures, will look to avoid a humiliating trifecta after finishing second behind Erling Haaland and Norway in Group I.

Denmark, Sweden, Turkey, Poland, and Ireland are among the notable sides that will partake in the last-chance playoffs alongside the desperate Italians.

A draw set for Thursday will split the 16 playoff teams into four paths, which will operate as mini four-team tournaments. After single-elimination semifinals and finals, the winners of each path will earn the last four World Cup spots allocated to Europe.

Each path will include one team from each of the following pots. Here are the pots that will be drawn from, according to Dale Johnson of the BBC.

Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine

Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Czechia, Slovakia

Pot 3: Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo

Pot 4: Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland

Teams from the same pot can't play against one another. Sweden or North Macedonia, who knocked Italy out in the last two qualifying cycles, could be grouped with the Azzurri once again.

The top three pots are based on FIFA rankings, while the teams that reached the playoffs via the Nations League are automatically placed in Pot 4.

After the draw, teams will have roughly four months to prepare for their winner-take-all matches. The playoff semifinals will take place March 26, and the finals are slated for March 31.

The seeded teams (Pots 1 and 2) will be at home in the playoff semifinals. Home advantage for the finals will be determined by the draw.