Pros and cons of Italy missing the 2018 FIFA World Cup 

#4 Con: Viewership will take a hit

The Italian national team has fans all around the world

The World Cup is the grandest tournament in the world. People who don’t generally watch football stay glued in front of their television to get a glimpse of the beautiful game. Even the elder ones stop watching daily soaps for a day and focus on the game instead.

This is why the World Cup attracts viewers like none other. While a lot of Arabian teams might have been able to qualify for the World Cup – a grand total of four – the lack of Italy in the World Cup finals will definitely hurt the tournament in terms of viewers.

I remember the time when Arab kids in the United Arab Emirates wore Italy shirts whilst the World Cup was in progress – such is the fan base for the Azzurri. However, with their absence in next year’s World Cup, the viewer count might take a hit – something which is never good for a tournament as big as the World Cup.