Gattuso Wants Change Of Rules Because Italy's Efforts To The 2026 World Cup Consistent

Gennaro Gattuso criticized the 2026 World Cup Qualification system (Instagram/@azzurri).

JAKARTA - The Italian coach, Gennaro Gattuso, urged FIFA to change the 2026 World Cup Qualification process after the four-time world champion had to win 9-0 over Norway on Monday, November 17, 2025, early in the morning WIB, if they wanted to qualify as winners of Group I.

Currently, the Azzurri are in second place, behind Norway, and it is more likely to advance to the playoffs for the remaining four tickets to the 2026 World Cup.

If so, Italy will undergo the third qualifying playoffs in a row.

The Azzurri won their sixth win in seven Group I matches with a 2-0 win over Moldova in Chisinau on Friday, November 14, 2025, early morning WIB.

However, with Norway as the leader of the standings with seven consecutive wins - including a 3-0 win against Italy - their far superior goal difference meant the Azzurri had to beat Stale Solbakken's side by a difference of nine goals in Milan to qualify straight to the 2026 World Cup.

Italy, who is ranked ninth in the FIFA world rankings, failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups after losing the playoffs against Sweden and North Macedonia.

Europe was awarded 16 tickets to the 2026 World Cup, but with the playoffs approaching again, Gattuso said that changes were needed to ensure justice in the process.

"In my time, the best runner-up (group) immediately qualified for the World Cup, now the rules have changed."

"To change the rules, you need to tell those who host this tournament. Note six Italian wins (qualified)? You have to ask people who make groups and rules."

"In 1990 and 1994, two African teams qualified (three qualified in 1994), now there are nine slots. This is not a controversy, but there are difficulties. We know very well that."

"If we look at South America, where six of the 10 teams immediately qualified for the World Cup and the seventh team had to play a playoffs with a team from Oceania, it did cause regret and sadness in itself."

"That's the disappointment. The system in Europe needs to be changed," said Gattuso as quoted by ESPN.

Italian players were subjected to ridicule and negative singing from 400 supporters who traveled to Moldova after taking 88 minutes to open the scoring against the small team in the group.

Gattuso, who replaced Luciano Spalletti as coach in June 2025 after an early defeat against Norway, retaliated against supporters for their treatment of his players.

"This is not the time to have the players look for work. To be honest, I don't accept the ridicule of the fans."

"Now we all have to stick together. Deep down the heart, I even think they can lose this match considering how many changes we have made (due to injury), but they performed well," said Gattuso again.