Italy Out, Czechs Return in World Cup Playoffs

Italy's dream of reaching the 2026 World Cup ended in dramatic fashion as Bosnia Herzegovina eliminated the Azzurra in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw. Moise Kean's early goal put Italy ahead, but a red card for Alessandro Bastoni complicated matters before Haris Tabaković's equalizer forced extra time.

The Czech Republic secured their return to the World Cup after 20 years with a penalty shootout victory over Denmark, despite a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes. In other playoff action, Türkiye qualified by beating Kosovo 1-0 through Kerem Aktürkoğlu's goal, while Sweden booked their ticket in a thriller against Poland that ended 3-2.