Norway Crush Italy 3-0 in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Norway delivered a stunning 3-0 victory over Italy in their 2026 World Cup qualifying match, marking Italy's worst defeat to Norway in 25 years and extending their winless streak to four matches. Erling Haaland scored his 41st goal in 42 matches for Norway, while Alexander Sorloth and Antonio Nusa also contributed goals in the first half under challenging weather conditions. Italy, missing several key players due to injury and withdrawals, struggled defensively and now face significant pressure to recover in upcoming qualifiers, with coach Luciano Spalletti contemplating his future. Norway leads Group I with a perfect record, bolstering their hopes for their first World Cup appearance since 1998, while Israel holds second place. Meanwhile, Belgium began their qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw against North Macedonia in Group J, where Wales and Croatia also showed strong performances. The results highlight mounting challenges for established teams like Italy as emerging squads push for World Cup qualification.