Italy will face Spain, Albania, Israel, Macedonia and Liechtenstein on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The Azzurri were hoping to avoid Spain, but also challenge Gianni De Biasi’s surprising Albania.
Italy have not won any of their last four competitive meetings with Spain.
The draw for the qualifying round was held today in St Petersburg, involving 141 nations.
Italy will face Spain, Albania, Israel, Macedonia and Liechtenstein on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The Azzurri were hoping to avoid Spain, but also challenge Gianni De Biasi’s surprising Albania.
Italy have not won any of their last four competitive meetings with Spain.
The draw for the qualifying round was held today in St Petersburg, involving 141 nations.
Russia have already qualified as hosts, but World Cup holders Germany must go through the process and get a tough group with the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino.
The Azzurri were not top seeds among the 52 European sides due to the latest FIFA rankings, which placed them in 17th place.
The seeds were Germany, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Romania, England, Wales, Spain and Croatia.
Winners of each group will qualify for the World Cup, while the eight best runners-up go into a play-off in November 2017.
Group A
Netherlands
France
Sweden
Bulgaria
Belarus
Luxembourg
Group B
Portugal
Switzerland
Hungary
Faroe Islands
Latvia
Andorra
Group C
Germany
Czech Republic
Northern Ireland
Norway
Azerbaijan
San Marino
Group D
Wales
Austria
Serbia
Republic of Ireland
Moldova
Georgia
Group E
Romania
Denmark
Poland
Montenegro
Armenia
Kazakhstan
Group F
England
Slovakia
Scotland
Slovenia
Lithuania
Malta
Group G
Spain
Italy
Albania
Israel
Macedonia
Liechtenstein
Group H
Belgium
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece
Estonia
Cyprus
Group I
Croatia
Iceland
Ukraine
Turkey
Finland