The potential home final would have been the cherry on top, but Italy can still be satisfied with the World Cup playoff draw ...

FIFA held the World Cup playoffs draw that will send the winner between four-time champion Italy and the Northern Irish on March 26 to travel to face Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina five days later.

Italy will first host Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifying playoff in March but then would go on the road to reach their first tournament after back-to-back failures at this stage.