Missing participation in the World Cup has consequences
Due to qualifying: Italy threatens to lose millions
April 1, 2026 – 1:09 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The “Squadra Azzurra” failed in the World Cup playoffs and missed the World Cup finals for the third time in a row. This probably also has financial consequences – in the double-digit million range.
After 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar, the 2026 World Cup will also take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico without Italy. The “Squadra Azzurra” failed dramatically in the playoff final against Bosnia-Herzegovina, losing 4-1 on penalties on Tuesday evening. The four-time world champion is on the ground – and has already had to endure harsh criticism and biting ridicule from his own country.
But it won’t stay that way – because missing out on taking part in the World Cup also has serious financial consequences for the FIGC, the Italian football association. This is reported by the traditional Italian sports daily “Gazzetta dello Sport”. What’s more: the association could lose 30 million euros by missing the World Cup. And this would mean a lack of important funds in all areas.
A loss of 6.6 million euros was already planned when the FIGC budget was approved for 2026. But at that time there was still hope that participation in the finals could get them back into the black. “The final result will depend on our World Cup qualification, which would have a very positive influence,” said association boss Gabriele Gravina at the beginning of the year. But now there is a risk of significant financial losses – at least as high as after the last missed World Cup. At that time, the profit shrank from 126 million euros in 2022 to 96 million euros in 2022. Already in 2018 there were only 81 million compared to 88 million from the previous year.
According to “Gazzetta”, 9.5 million euros are missing from the sponsorship contracts, which the advertising partners are allowed to withhold from the agreed payments as a penalty due to the missed qualification.
What is particularly dramatic is that the association signed a lucrative contract with supplier Adidas in 2023, which not only brings in between 30 and 35 million euros per year, but also guarantees an attractive share of merchandising sales. In 2024 alone, eleven million euros flowed into the FIGC coffers. This pillar is now almost completely broken, as Italy will be missing from the big World Cup stage – especially in the growth market of the USA. It was only last November that the German sporting goods manufacturer presented the new Italy home jersey, in which great hopes were placed.
