The Azzurri failed to qualify for this year's World Cup but their fans will still be treated to the spectacle yet to unfold in Qatar.

How to watch and stream the World Cup in Italy - Match and TV schedule

National public broadcaster RAI has secured Italian rights to the 2022 World Cup. All 64 World Cup matches are to be shown live on free-to-air television, with live streaming on OTT service RAIPlay for web and mobile users. 28 of the World Cup matches have been reserved for linear network RAI 1—including the opening match and the Final—while the rest have been slated for RAI 2, RAI 3 and RAI Sport. Moreover, 56 matches in total have been scheduled on RAI 4K (Channel 210) on TivùSat. Match highlights, replays and preview shows are expected to boost the viewers' 2022 World Cup TV experience in Italy.

About Italy in FIFA World Cup history

Italy is among the most successful national teams in the history of football and the World Cup, having won four titles (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) and finishing as runners-up in two other finals (1970, 1994). They have also previously managed third place (1990) and fourth place (1978) in the competition.

Why is Italy not at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar? 

Less than 12 months after beating England at Wembley to win the EURO 2020,  Italy came crashing back down to Earth in March 2022. The Azzurri, who were tipped for a blockbuster showdown with Portugal in the World Cup playoffs after the pair finished as runners-up in their respective qualifying groups. However, the meeting could not come to pass with Roberto Mancini's side failing to surmount the first hurdle in the play-offs semi-finals against North Macedonia.

In what was expected to be a routine win, the likes of Marco Verratti and Giorgio Chiellini could not inspire their teammates to success, and as the underdogs secured passage to take on Portugal in the play-off final. They were eventually prevented from qualifying themselves as Fernando Santos will lead Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates to a win 2-0 in the encounter.

The result meant that Italy would miss out on a second successive World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after another dreadful qualification campaign.