World Cup Playoff Draw: Wales Face Bosnia, Northern Ireland Head To Italy, Ireland Go To Prague

Wales and Northern Ireland will do conflict for a spot astatine nan 2026 World Cup if they navigate playoff semi-finals of differing toughness successful March.

The brace would conflict it retired successful Cardiff for a summons to adjacent year’s showpiece if Wales triumph a location necktie against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Northern Ireland prevail successful a fiendish travel to Italy, who are retired of shape but will beryllium powerfully favoured. It is simply a peculiarly appetising tie for Craig Bellamy’s Wales, who are flying aft defeating North Macedonia 7-1 connected Tuesday and are 2 location victories from a return to nan astir exalted stage.

The Republic of Ireland, caller from an bonzer week successful which Troy Parrott scored each 5 goals successful their wins complete Portugal and Hungary, will consciousness softly assured of a first finals spot since 2002. They must recreation to look Czech Republic successful nan semi-finals but, should they muster further heroics successful Prague, a location last against Denmark aliases North Macedonia lies successful wait.

Europe will nonstop 4 teams to nan World Cup done nan playoff competition, whose semi-finals will return spot connected 26 March earlier nan finals 5 days later. Wales and nan Republic of Ireland had been drawn from cookware 3 aft finishing 2nd successful their qualifying groups; Northern Ireland reached nan playoffs via nan Nations League and ever looked destined for a much difficult semi-final from cookware four.

The different 2 pathways besides produced enticing match-ups. Ukraine will look Graham Potter’s Sweden, nan winners hosting whoever prevails successful a semi-final betwixt Poland and Albania. Slovakia aliases Kosovo will shape nan 4th last against Turkey aliases Romania.

The European tie was preceded by nan 1 for nan inter-confederation playoffs, which pit non-Uefa nations against 1 another. Jamaica will scent a chance to scope their first World Cup finals since 1998 aft being matched pinch outsiders New Caledonia successful nan semi-finals, nan victor of that necktie facing top-seeded Democratic Republic of nan Congo. Jamaica will compete nether a caller head aft Steve McClaren resigned this week.

In nan different pathway Bolivia and Suriname will play disconnected for a last against Iraq. The inter-confederation ties, besides to beryllium held during nan March world break, will return spot successful nan Mexican cities Monterrey and Guadalajara.