Is World Cup qualifying fair across all regions? Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso certainly doesn’t think so — and his frustration has reignited a fierce debate about global qualification pathways.
Before Italy’s 4–1 home defeat to Norway confirmed they would enter the play-off gauntlet, Gattuso was already unimpressed. “In my day, the best runners-up went straight to the World Cup, now the rules have changed,” he complained. “Italy’s record of six wins? You’d have to ask the people who make the groups and the rules.”
With Italy now facing two single-leg play-offs, a process that famously ended their 2018 and 2022 qualification hopes, Gattuso questioned why Europe has so few direct slots compared to other continents. “In 1990 and 1994 there were two African teams, now there are nine,” he said. “In South America, six out of 10 teams go directly… that gives you regrets and a certain sadness. The system needs to change in Europe.”
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Some of his claims were off the mark, Africa actually had three teams at the 1994 tournament, and South America’s seventh-placed side is not guaranteed an Oceania play-off. But his broader complaint touches a real imbalance.
Europe now has 54 teams competing for 16 World Cup places, and UEFA’s choice of smaller groups, designed to reduce fixture congestion, means top seeds like Italy can still be trapped by rapid risers such as Norway. As analysts point out, South America’s 60% qualification rate must be viewed alongside the continent’s depth: eight of its 10 nations rank inside FIFA’s top 50.
Africa’s nine places also reflect rising competitiveness, with most qualifiers established global forces like Morocco, Senegal and Egypt, along with the likes of South Africa and Ghana. Statistically, the biggest over-representation appears in Asia, which has only four top-50 teams but eight automatic slots.
So did Gattuso have a point? Perhaps partly, but given Italy’s heavy defeats to Norway – 7-1 across two legs – many observers believe the real problem lies closer to home.
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