Country whose national football team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup after losing to Bosnia in a penalty shootout.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Italy lost to Ireland 20-13 in Six Nations match
“Ireland rebounded from an opening hammering by France to edge a gallant Italy 20-13 in their Six Nations match at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.”
Ireland hold their nerve to beat gallant Italy in Six Nations thrillerThe Namibian
Italy achieved historic first T20 World Cup win
“Spinners Crishan Kalugamage and Ben Manenti helped debutants Italy to a historic first win at the cricket T20 World Cup with a 10-wicket hammering of Nepal on Thursday.”
Italy crush Nepal for first cricket T20 World Cup winThe Namibian
Italy suffered 73-run loss to Scotland in T20 World Cup debut
“T20 World Cup debutants Italy had a bruising introduction to cricket's biggest stage as they suffered a crushing 73-run loss to Scotland on Monday in Kolkata.”
Scotland spoil Italy's T20 World Cup debut with big winThe Namibian
Italy beat Scotland 18-15 in Six Nations opener
“Italy heaped the pressure on Scotland coach Gregor Townsend on Saturday, running out deserved 18-15 winners in their Six Nations opener played in atrocious wet conditions in Rome.”
Six Nations misery for Townsend as Italy beat sorry ScotlandThe Namibian
Italy will make their first ICC Men's T20 World Cup appearance
“Italian cricket is breaking new ground and will appear at this tournament for the first time.”
Associate Nations ready to showcase talent at ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026The Namibian
Italy is described as improving
“Scotland begin their campaign with a tricky trip to an improving Italy before England visit Murrayfield aiming for a first win in Edinburgh since 2020.”
Townsend bullish on Scotland's Six Nations prospectsInformanté
Italy is debutant in Group C
“Group C features two-time champions England and West Indies, joined by Bangladesh, Nepal and debutants Italy.”
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule and groupsJonas Vingegaard won the ninth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday, cutting 40 seconds from leader Afonso Eulalio's advantage, though Eulalio retains nearly a 2 minute 30 second lead heading toward a decisive time trial on Tuesday.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Jonas Vingegaard won the ninth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday, cutting 40 seconds from leader Afonso Eulalio's advantage, though Eulalio retains nearly a 2 minute 30 second lead heading toward a decisive time trial on Tuesday.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
AC Milan lost 3-0 at home to Udinese on Saturday, falling nine points behind league leaders Inter Milan with six matches remaining. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri warned that the club's Champions League qualification is now under threat after losing three of four recent matches.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Italy's Sport Minister Andrea Abodi called for the head of the national football federation, Gabriele Gravina, to step down after the team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shoot-out. Gravina said he would not resign but a board meeting next week would determine his position, while he blamed a lack of state support and insisted Italian football faces a "profound crisis."
2 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Bosnia defeated Italy 4-1 in a penalty shootout to qualify for their second World Cup, sparking celebrations across the country with thousands gathering in stadiums and streets waving flags and singing.
2 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Team Namibia competed at the 76th South African Outdoor Target Archery Nationals in Johannesburg from 27–29 March with nine archers across multiple divisions, securing several podium finishes including silver medals for Lutz Wahlers, Jannie Meuwesen, Jacqueline Coetzee, and Ilana Malan, and a bronze for Bianca Karsten. Louan Groenewald set a new Namibian national record in the Compound Men 50+ division with a score of 696 out of 720.
1 April 2026 · New Era →
Italy fell to Bosnia and Hercegovina 4-1 on penalties in a World Cup qualification play-off, with the Azzurri playing most of the match with 10 men after Alessandro Bastoni's red card and failing to convert their penalty attempts. The loss marks Italy's third consecutive World Cup absence, while Bosnia qualified for the tournament in North America for the second time.
1 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso said Wednesday that the team's World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland in Bergamo on Thursday is the most important match of his coaching career, as Italy looks to end a 12-year absence from the World Cup finals after failing to qualify for the last two editions.
26 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Armand Duplantis won his fourth world indoor pole vault title in Torun, Poland, with a championship record of 6.25 metres, while Josh Kerr triumphed in the 3,000m and Switzerland's Simon Ehammer set a new world record in the heptathlon.
22 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Inter Milan visit Fiorentina on Sunday seeking to maintain an eight-point Serie A lead, though recent defeats in the Milan derby and Champions League have dented their form ahead of Italy's World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland next week.
20 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Shadah Uanguta, introduced to chess at age six, is Namibia's youngest national team player and has already achieved a FIDE rating of 1520. She aims to become a Grandmaster and is setting her sights on international competition after dominating tournaments in her age group.
19 March 2026 · New Era →
The African Union Sports Council Region 5 chief executive has begun a strategic mission to Europe to foster global partnerships in innovation, inclusive sport, and technology across southern Africa. The initiative includes engagements with organizations such as the Global Disability Innovation Hub and Loughborough University, with focus on inclusivity in sport and research collaboration.
19 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The 2024 Six Nations saw record attacking success with 211 tries scored, but also a record 211 tries conceded, prompting champion France and other teams to reassess their defensive weaknesses ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Ireland proved the exception, conceding the fewest points and tries, while most teams prioritized attacking performance despite the defensive vulnerabilities exposed by the tournament.
17 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Kimi Antonelli, the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history, won his first grand prix in Shanghai, leading Mercedes to a one-two finish ahead of teammate George Russell. Both McLarens failed to start the race after separate technical issues.
15 March 2026 · The Namibian →
France retained the Six Nations title with a 48-46 victory over England, decided by a Thomas Ramos penalty kick after the final whistle. Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored four tries in a 13-try thriller in which the lead changed hands repeatedly.
15 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Wales defeated Italy 31-17 in Cardiff on Saturday to end a 15-match losing streak in the Six Nations, with the Welsh dominant in the first half, scoring four tries for a 31-0 lead before Italy rallied late in the match.
15 March 2026 · The Namibian →
France's reigning Six Nations champions remain in pole position to retain the title despite losing their Grand Slam hopes to Scotland, with head coach Fabien Galthie saying a bonus-point victory over England on Saturday would almost certainly secure the championship.
14 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Scotland can win the Six Nations championship for the first time in the era if they beat Ireland on Saturday and France lose to England. Back-row forward Rory Darge said the team is prepared for the pressure, though Scotland have not won in Dublin since 2010.
12 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Scotland defeated France 50-40 in a high-scoring match, while Italy beat England for the first time in 32 attempts and Ireland struggled past Wales. Even top players like France captain Antoine Dupont can have an off-day, England coach Steve Borthwick faces mounting pressure after three consecutive defeats, and Ireland must improve their discipline ahead of facing Scotland.
9 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Italy secured a historic 23-18 victory over England in the Six Nations, winning against them for the first time in 33 attempts. Tries from Tommaso Menoncello and Leonardo Marin, plus 13 points from fly-half Paolo Garbski, lifted Italy above England in the tournament table.
8 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Scotland's 50-40 home victory over France with seven tries has kept the Six Nations title race alive ahead of the final day, with France and Scotland now level on 16 points. France can secure back-to-back titles if they match Scotland's result in their respective final matches against England and Ireland.
8 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Ireland defeated Wales 27-17 at Lansdowne Road to keep their slim Six Nations title hopes alive with a bonus-point victory, extending Wales's losing streak to 15 matches. Ireland's chances now depend on Scotland beating France on Saturday.
7 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he would seek more consistency in selection during a challenging 2026 fixture list featuring the Nations Championship, a four-Test series against New Zealand, and an end-of-year tour, with less experimentation than the nine changes per game average in 2025.
3 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Cricket Namibia president Rudi van Vuuren says the team's winless T20 World Cup campaign reflects disappointing senior player performances and gaps in competitiveness, and calls for changes to the Sports Act to allow foreign residents (after three years rather than ten) to represent the country, bringing Namibia in line with other Associate nations.
26 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Champions France defeated Italy 33-8 in Lille on Sunday, with winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey scoring a try in a tournament record eighth consecutive Six Nations match. The victory kept France unbeaten in the tournament and on track for the Grand Slam.
23 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Scotland defeated Wales 26-23 at the Principality Stadium with a try from George Turner in the 75th minute, coming from behind to take their first lead of the game. Scotland will now face Ireland in Dublin in their bid to complete a first Triple Crown since 1990.
22 February 2026 · The Namibian →
England coach Steve Borthwick has handed 21-year-old Henry Pollock his first Test start at No. 8 for Saturday's Six Nations clash with Ireland at Twickenham, looking to bounce back after a 31-20 loss to Scotland ended their 12-game winning streak. Ireland coach Andy Farrell has made five changes to his squad, dropping fly-half Sam Prendergast completely after an error-strewn performance and starting Jack Crowley in his place.
21 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Zimbabwe topped their T20 World Cup group after an unbeaten campaign that included victories over Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka, while defending champion Australia failed to advance from the group stage for the first time since 2009. The Super Eights phase now features India as favourites facing South Africa in a rematch of the 2024 final.
21 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs in their final T20 World Cup group match, with captain Shai Hope scoring 75 and pace bowler Shamar Joseph taking 4-30 to help bowl out the opposition for 123. The West Indies will face Zimbabwe in Mumbai on Monday to begin their Super Eights campaign.
20 February 2026 · The Namibian →
England qualified for the Super Eights at the T20 World Cup after defeating Italy by 24 runs in Kolkata, with Will Jacks scoring the fastest T20 World Cup fifty for England to help them post 202-7. Italy, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, mounted a strong chase that nearly succeeded, scoring 178 before falling agonisingly short.
17 February 2026 · The Namibian →
England's hopes of a first Grand Slam since 2016 were ended by Scotland in Edinburgh, while reigning champions France won their second match by trouncing Wales 54-12 in Cardiff in front of the smallest ever Six Nations crowd there. Huw Jones scored twice for Scotland in a 31-20 Calcutta Cup victory, and Irish coach Andy Farrell said his side showed character in beating Italy 20-13 but must reduce errors ahead of facing England.
16 February 2026 · The Namibian →