Italy return to Rome after two years away, a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in November 2021 that killed off direct qualification to the World Cup in Qatar. It also broke a series of home clean sheets (four) following four wins on the trot. It will be the 64th game played in a Rome, the city that has hosted the most number of Azzurri games, and will be the first time welcoming North Macedonia. In total, the record books say 38 wins, 18 draws and seven losses; 114 goals scored, 47 conceded. It will be game number 53 at the Stadio Olimpico for Italy, who first played here in May 1953 (3-0 defeat to Hungary), with 31 wins, 14 draws and seven defeats. Before the Olimpico, the Stadio del Partito Nazionale Fascista (poi Flaminio) saw the team unbeaten: eleven games, seven wins and four draws. In 63 games in Rome, the Azzurri have faced 31 different nations, scoring at least one goal against 29 of these (Finland and a European Selection the exceptions).

The longest unbeaten run in Rome lasted 17 years: from November 1963 to November 1980, 21 games: twelve wins and nine draws, before being beatan a European Selection side in Fenruary 1981. In current time, the side is unbeaten here in six games: five wins and one draw between 2015 and 2021 (victories over Norway, Greece, Turkey, Switzerland, Wales and a draw with Switzerland). The last loss dates back to August 2013, 1-2 against Argentina in a friendly.

Instead, it will be the Azzurri's first time in Leverkusen: in the past, the National Team played in Dusseldorf (1-1 with Germany at EURO ’88) and Cologne (a draw with Germany in ’87 and a win over Denmark in EURO ’88).