World Cup play-off: Italy vs. Northern Ireland official line-ups | OneFootball

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.

Players who were forced to withdraw due to injuries or not called up at all include Federico Chiesa, Mattia Zaccagni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Matteo Gabbia, Guglielmo Vicario and Nicolò Rovella.

Northern Ireland had some major issues too, as Liverpool defender Conor Bradley is out with a knee injury and they lost Sunderland defender Daniel Ballard too.

Midfielder Ali McCann has also been left out after the Preston midfielder failed a fitness test.

This means only three of the players in the 28-man squad belong to a top division club.

Coach Michael O’Neill is simultaneously in charge of the Northern Ireland national team and of English Championship side Blackburn Rovers, a role he took on February 13.

BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA – NOVEMBER 14: Michael O’Neill, Head Coach of Northern Ireland looks on prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Slovakia and Northern Ireland at Kosicka Futbalova Arena on November 14, 2025 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)

They qualified for the play-offs thanks largely to their Nations League promotion to League B, finishing third in their World Cup qualifying group behind Germany and Slovakia.

They beat Slovakia 2-0, along with victories over Luxembourg, losing only 1-0 to both Germany and Slovakia last year.

Their most valuable players are Sunderland right-back Trai Hume, Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny and Southampton’s Shea Charles.

Northern Ireland participated in three editions of the World Cup in 1958, 1982 and 1986.

Italy vs. Northern Ireland line-ups

Italy: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui

Italy bench: Carnesecchi, Meret, Palestra, Spinazzola, Buongiorno, Gatti, Scalvini, Pisilli, Cristante, Frattesi, Raspadori, Esposito

Northern Ireland: P Charles; Hume, McNair, McConville; Devlin, S Charles, Galbraith, Devenny, Spencer; Price; Donley

Northern Ireland bench: Peacock-Farrell, Hazard, Toal, Atcheson, Saville, Marshall, Kelly, Smyth, Lyons, Reid, Magennis, Brown

Ref: Makkelie (NED)

Post navigation

Liveblog: Italy vs. Northern Ireland World Cup play-off