Which teams can Northern Ireland draw in World Cup play-offs?

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The Independent

·19 novembre 2025

Which teams can Northern Ireland draw in World Cup play-offs?

Nothern Ireland are through to the World Cup play-offs thanks to their success in the Nations League, and will have a chance to go to North America next summer.

Michael O'Neill’s side were beaten by key Group A rivals Slovakia last week to dent their qualification hopes, and finished third. But their success in the Nations League – where they finished top of League C, Group 3, ensured they took one of the four additional play-off spots.

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Here is everything you need to know about Northern Ireland’s play-offs campagin.

Northern Ireland are one of 16 teams in the play-offs, made up of the 12 group runners-up in qualifying and four teams added due to their performance in the most recent Nations League.

The draw is seeded, with four pots of four nations. The first three pots are the 12 runners-up from qualifying ranked by world ranking; the fourth pot contains the four Nations League sides, including Northern Ireland.

Teams from pot 1 will play teams for pot 4 in the semi-finals, and teams from pot 2 will play teams from pot 3. Crucially, those nations in pots 1 and 2 will be at home for the one-off match, so Northern Ireland will be the away team.

Northern Ireland are in pot 4, which means they will be drawn against either Italy, Denmark, Turkey or Ukraine. The eight semi-finals will be paired to create four finals, from which four winners will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The home team in the finals will be decided by random during the draw.