Europe’s final qualification battle for the 2026 World Cup took shape following a playoff draw that delivered contrasting fortunes for Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. All three nations have reasons for hope, but each faces a unique set of challenges.
Wales, enjoying a surge of form under Craig Bellamy, host Bosnia & Herzegovina in what appears to be one of the more manageable semi-finals. Their emphatic 7–1 demolition of North Macedonia has ignited belief that qualification is within reach.
Northern Ireland landed one of the hardest assignments, heading to Italy for an away semi-final. Though Italy’s recent inconsistency offers a glimmer of hope, the scale of the task means Northern Ireland must deliver something extraordinary to progress.
The Republic of Ireland travel to Prague for a showdown with Czech Republic. After a spectacular run of form led by Troy Parrott’s five goals in two matches, they enter the semi-final with renewed optimism. Victory would give them a home final against Denmark or North Macedonia.
The playoffs will send four European teams to the World Cup, with semi-finals on 26 March and finals shortly after. The draw also produced compelling matchups such as Ukraine vs Sweden and Poland vs Albania, while inter-confederation pairings saw Jamaica and Bolivia handed promising routes.