# 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group G
Group G of the 2018 FIFA World Cup UEFA qualifiers was a six-team qualifying group containing Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, FYR Macedonia, and [Liechtenstein](https://www.edgepedia.org/liechtenstein), drawn in St Petersburg on 25 July 2015[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8061d122ac-6b4e5e13ae2a-1000--european-teams-learn-world-cup-qualifying-fate/). Spain won the group unbeaten and qualified directly for the final tournament in Russia; Italy finished second and went to the play-offs, where Sweden eliminated them, meaning Italy missed the World Cup for the first time since 1958[2](https://soccer365.net/competitions/739/2018/) • [3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41955834).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teams | Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, FYR Macedonia, Liechtenstein[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8061d122ac-6b4e5e13ae2a-1000--european-teams-learn-world-cup-qualifying-fate/) |
| Draw | 25 July 2015, St Petersburg; 52 European entrants in seven groups of six and two of five[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8061d122ac-6b4e5e13ae2a-1000--european-teams-learn-world-cup-qualifying-fate/) |
| Winner | Spain: 9 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses, 36 goals for, 3 against, 28 points[2](https://soccer365.net/competitions/739/2018/) |
| Runner-up | Italy: 7 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, 21-8, 23 points[2](https://soccer365.net/competitions/739/2018/) |
| Qualification decided | Spain clinched on 6 October 2017 with a 3-0 win over Albania and Italy's 1-1 draw with Macedonia[4](https://inside.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/espana-gana-y-clasifica-invicta-al-mundial-3-0-2911131) |
| Play-off outcome | Sweden beat Italy 1-0 on aggregate (1-0, 0-0)[5](https://inside.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/sweden-stun-italy-to-book-world-cup-return-2919904) |
| Consequence | Italy failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958; Sweden returned for the first time since 2006[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41955834) |
## Format and draw
Europe's 52 entrants (excluding hosts Russia and non-FIFA member [Gibraltar](https://www.edgepedia.org/gibraltar)) were drawn into seven groups of six and two of five. The nine group winners advanced directly to the final tournament, and the eight best runners-up went to play-offs that decided the remaining four European berths[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8061d122ac-6b4e5e13ae2a-1000--european-teams-learn-world-cup-qualifying-fate/). Group G paired the UEFA EURO 2012 finalists Spain and Italy, which UEFA called among the most eye-catching sections of the draw[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8061d122ac-6b4e5e13ae2a-1000--european-teams-learn-world-cup-qualifying-fate/).
## The Spain–Italy contest
The group's decisive rivalry ran between its two strongest teams. After six matchdays both had 16 points, with a goal difference of +18 for Spain and +14 for Italy, having drawn their first encounter 1-1[6](https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/uefaorg/Publications/02/49/53/99/2495399_DOWNLOAD.pdf). That first meeting, a 1-1 draw, was played at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on 6 October 2016[7](https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/tournament/1/2018/1960/World_Cup.html).
**The return fixture decided the group.** Spain beat Italy 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, after which Spain led the group alone[8](https://rfef.es/es/clasificacion-gran-paso-adelante-seleccion-al-frente-del-grupo-g). Under coach [Julen Lopetegui](https://www.edgepedia.org/julen-lopetegui), Spain finished the campaign unbeaten with 8 wins and 1 draw[4](https://inside.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/espana-gana-y-clasifica-invicta-al-mundial-3-0-2911131).
Spain sealed first place on 6 October 2017 without needing the final matchday: a 3-0 win over Albania in Alicante, with goals from Rodrigo, Isco, and Thiago, combined with Italy's 1-1 home draw against FYR Macedonia made Spain the 11th team qualified including hosts Russia[4](https://inside.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/espana-gana-y-clasifica-invicta-al-mundial-3-0-2911131) • [9](https://as.com/futbol/2017/10/05/mundial/1507219639_431730.html).
## Italy's campaign and the play-off
Italy won seven and drew two of its ten group matches, losing only in Madrid, and finished on 23 points[2](https://soccer365.net/competitions/739/2018/). A notable group-stage match came on 24 March 2017, when [Gianluigi Buffon](https://www.edgepedia.org/gianluigi-buffon) kept a clean sheet on his 1,000th senior appearance in a 2-0 win over Albania, with a [Daniele De Rossi](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniele-de-rossi) penalty and a [Ciro Immobile](https://www.edgepedia.org/ciro-immobile) header; that night Buffon also became Europe's most-capped player, passing Iker Casillas[10](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0237-0e968b87b503-de67deab372d-1000--italy-and-spain-plough-on-as-serbia-make-their-move/).
In the play-off Italy was drawn against Sweden. Sweden won the first leg 1-0 and held a goalless draw in the second leg at the [San Siro](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-siro) on 13 November 2017 to win 1-0 on aggregate[5](https://inside.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/sweden-stun-italy-to-book-world-cup-return-2919904). Italy had 23 shots overall in the second leg but could not score[11](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2023302--italy-vs-sweden/events/). The defeat, in front of a global audience moved by Gianluigi Buffon's tears, was described by UEFA as the biggest shock of the qualifying competition[12](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/0246-0f842dbcf9e5-5544c6350e24-1000/uefa_direct_178_01.06.2018_.pdf).
Under coach Janne Andersson, Sweden reached the World Cup for the first time since 2006[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41955834). Striker [Marcus Berg](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcus-berg), though shut out in the play-off, scored eight goals during the group stage[13](https://inside.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/swede-dreams-for-andersson-s-play-off-heroes-2919990). Sweden joined Switzerland, Croatia, and Denmark as the play-off winners from the European zone[14](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8228b1cdff-3d22164303f6-1000--denmark-sweden-switzerland-croatia-win-play-offs/).
## Final standings
The group concluded with Spain on 28 points, Italy on 23, Albania on 13, Israel on 12, FYR Macedonia on 8, and Liechtenstein on 0[2](https://soccer365.net/competitions/739/2018/) • [15](https://rfef.es/es/noticias/clasificacion-lideres-destacados-del-grupo-g). Liechtenstein lost all of its matches, including an 8-0 defeat by Spain in León on 5 September 2016[16](https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2018q.html).
## Aftermath
Italy's failure to qualify was the first absence from a World Cup since 1958, and it began a pattern: Italy was later eliminated by [North Macedonia](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-macedonia) in the qualifying play-offs for the 2022 World Cup, and by [Bosnia and Herzegovina](https://www.edgepedia.org/bosnia-and-herzegovina) in the play-offs for the 2026 tournament, missing three consecutive World Cups[17](https://apnews.com/article/c41b58511967df48ab3e548f52873f9d). Spain, the group winner, went on to the final tournament in Russia, where it was drawn in [Group B](https://www.edgepedia.org/group-b) alongside Portugal, Morocco, and Iran[18](https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/england/2017-18/14483-england-world-cup-group-table-wall-chart_a2_hr.ashx).
## References
1. [European teams learn World Cup qualifying fate, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8061d122ac-6b4e5e13ae2a-1000--european-teams-learn-world-cup-qualifying-fate/)
2. [FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) 2018, table and standings, soccer365.net](https://soccer365.net/competitions/739/2018/)
3. [Italy 0-0 Sweden (agg: 0-1), BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41955834)
4. [España se gusta y clasifica invicta al Mundial (3-0), FIFA.com](https://inside.fifa.com/es/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/espana-gana-y-clasifica-invicta-al-mundial-3-0-2911131)
5. [Sweden stun Italy to book World Cup return, FIFA.com](https://inside.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/sweden-stun-italy-to-book-world-cup-return-2919904)
6. [UEFA Direct #170 (24 August 2017)](https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/uefaorg/Publications/02/49/53/99/2495399_DOWNLOAD.pdf)
7. [World Cup 2018 Qualification Europe Group Stage Group G, National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/tournament/1/2018/1960/World_Cup.html)
8. [CLASIFICACIÓN: Gran paso adelante de la Selección al frente del Grupo G, RFEF](https://rfef.es/es/clasificacion-gran-paso-adelante-seleccion-al-frente-del-grupo-g)
9. [España 3-0 Albania: resumen, resultado y goles del partido, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2017/10/05/mundial/1507219639_431730.html)
10. [Italy and Spain plough on as Serbia make their move, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0237-0e968b87b503-de67deab372d-1000--italy-and-spain-plough-on-as-serbia-make-their-move/)
11. [History: Italy-Sweden, European Qualifiers 2018, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2023302--italy-vs-sweden/events/)
12. [UEFA Direct #178 (1 June 2018)](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/0246-0f842dbcf9e5-5544c6350e24-1000/uefa_direct_178_01.06.2018_.pdf)
13. [Swede dreams for Andersson's play-off heroes, FIFA.com](https://inside.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia/news/swede-dreams-for-andersson-s-play-off-heroes-2919990)
14. [Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Croatia win play-offs, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d8228b1cdff-3d22164303f6-1000--denmark-sweden-switzerland-croatia-win-play-offs/)
15. [CLASIFICACIÓN: Líderes destacados del Grupo G, RFEF](https://rfef.es/es/noticias/clasificacion-lideres-destacados-del-grupo-g)
16. [World Cup 2018 Qualifying, RSSSF](https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2018q.html)
17. [Italy's latest World Cup failure labeled '3rd apocalypse,' AP News](https://apnews.com/article/c41b58511967df48ab3e548f52873f9d)
18. [2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group table wall chart, The FA](https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/england/2017-18/14483-england-world-cup-group-table-wall-chart_a2_hr.ashx)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › FIFA World Cup › FIFA World Cup (men) › World Cup qualification › UEFA qualification (Europe)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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