Norway qualified for the 2026 World Cup on Sunday after a 4-1 win away to Italy in their final qualifying match, condemning the hosts, who have missed out on the last two editions of the tournament, to the play-offs where they will join the Republic of Ireland in Thursday's draw.
Heimir Hallgrimsson's Boys in Green booked their place in next March's play-offs as Group F runners-up earlier on Sunday after a 3-2 win in Hungary spearheaded by a Troy Parrott hat-trick.
The play-offs will contain the 12 group runners-up from the UEFA qualifiers, who will be divided into three pots based on seedings, along with a quartet of not-already-qualified-countries based on Nations League rankings who will fight it out for the last four European places at next summer's World Cup.
The 16 teams will be split into four pathways, consisting of a semi-final and final, with each round played out as a single leg format.
Romania, Sweden and Northern Ireland will be there due to their Nations League performance along with one more side, while the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Ukraine and Albania confirmed their involvement as group runners-up on Sunday, with Czechia also in the hat.
For Italy however, they will go into the play-offs off the back of an ignominous ending to their qualifying group as Norway ended the campaign with a perfect record of eight wins, finishing six points ahead of the four-time World Cup winners.
Needing a nine-goal win because of Norway's superior goal difference, the Italians came out full of aggression and made the early breakthrough just after the 10-minute mark, as Francesco Pio Esposito swept in a close-range finish.
The hosts were dominant until the last minutes of the first half and went close to a second goal several times with Norway having only a half-chance when a shot from Antonio Nusa went over the bar.
However, it was a completely different Norway in the second half and Nusa equalised in the 63rd minute with a left-foot finish from inside the box.
With Norway in control in the closing stages, Italy paid the price for leaving Erling Haaland unmarked in the box in the 78th minute as he met a cross and volleyed home with ease.
Haaland then wrapped up the match with a second goal a minute later, taking his tally for the campaign to 16.
Jorgen Strand Larsen scored the fourth in stoppage time for the visitors, who showed they would be no pushovers at next year's tournament.
Albania will also be in the play-offs having already secured runner-up spot behind England in Group K before hosting Thomas Tuchel's side on Sunday night.
England went on complete a perfect qualification campaign in the Albanian capital as Harry Kane's late double secured a 2-0 win, their eighth victory without conceding.
Albania finished in a play-off spot with Serbia a point further back after goals from Aleksandar Katai and Aleksandar Stankovic secured a 2-1 win over Latvia.
France rounded off their successful campaign with a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan in Baku.
Les Bleus fell behind to an early Renat Dadashov strike but Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maghnes Akliouche were on target before an own goal by Sahruddin Mahammadaliyev made it a comfortable victory.
Late goals from Oleksandr Zubkov and Oleksii Gutsuliak earned Ukraine a 2-0 victory over Iceland and a play-off spot.
Elsewhere, the Democratic Republic of Congo kept alive hopes of a World Cup place as they edged Nigeria 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time to win the African qualifying playoffs in Morocco on Sunday.
DR Congo now await the draw on Thursday for the inter-confederation playoff in March where six teams will chase two places at the 48-team finals.
Captain Chancel Mbemba converted the decisive kick after Congolese substitute goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu, brought on a minute before the shootout, made two saves in the shootout.
Additional reporting: PA
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