Italy's World Cup Failures Tied to Racist Immigration Policies

Italy has failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups (2018, 2022, 2026), an unprecedented decline for a four-time champion. After a 2006 victory, the team was eliminated in group stages in 2010 and 2014, then failed to qualify for 2018 and 2022. In the 2026 qualifiers, Italy lost a playoff to Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 31st, 2025, despite an early goal by Moise Kean. Critics argue that Italy's restrictive citizenship laws—which deny automatic citizenship to children of immigrants born in Italy—shrink the pool of eligible players, while other European nations like France, Germany, and Spain benefit from diverse rosters. Italy's national team remains almost entirely white, contrasting with its rivals. Mario de Rossi, a football agent, and Daniela Conti of the Italian Association of Sport For All link the homogeneity to structural racism. Former youth development head Arrigo Sacchi and former federation president Carlo Tavecchio made racist remarks. Sociologist Max Mauro notes that diversity appears in other Italian sports but not football. After the loss, federation president and coach resigned. The article also references Mussolini's use of football for national unity and the historical ban on foreign players in Serie A.