World Cup 2026 play-off draw live: Wales, Northern Ireland and Rep of Ireland to discover opponents

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The Independent

·20 novembre 2025

World Cup 2026 play-off draw live: Wales, Northern Ireland and Rep of Ireland to discover opponents

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Miguel Delaney: This was the best week of football ever (and here's why)

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Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland are among the 16 nations nervously waiting to discover their fate in the World Cup 2026 play-off draw.

March’s play-offs will see eight semi-finals lead to four finals, from which the four winners will qualify for next summer’s tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico.

The 16 teams are made up of 12 qualification runners-up and four via the Nations League, and have been divided into four seeded pots based on world rankings. The pot 1 sides – featuring four-time World Cup winners Italy as well as Denmark, Turkey and Ukraine – will be drawn against the pot 4 teams, who include Northern Ireland. Wales are in pot 2 and they will be drawn against a side from pot 3, where Republic of Ireland lurk.

Wales have a crucial advantage of playing their semi-final at home, due to being in one of the top two pots. But who will they meet? Follow live updates from the World Cup play-offs draw below.

Why Parrott’s magic moment meant more than the play-offs to Ireland

Here’s chief football writer Miguel Delaney on Troy Parrott’s incredible hat-trick in Hungary:

As the Irish fans sang, and Troy Parrott’s teammates were already watching clips of his goal, the hero just let it out.“This is the first time I’ve cried in years as well… I really can’t believe it.”There are few who can. This is partly why Parrott was far from the only Irish person crying after his deft finish.The 23-year-old’s comeback hat-trick that culminated in an incredible 96th-minute winner was not just a sensation of an event; of the type that has emotionally captured all of football in the way only the World Cup can.It was a feat that probably shouldn’t have been possible, that involved a lot of defiance from everyone involved - not least the hero.

Wilson: Wales ready for anyone in play-offs

Harry Wilson says Wales are confident of beating anyone at home in the World Cup play-offs.

Wales secured home advantage for their play-off semi-final with an historic 7-1 demolition of North Macedonia in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Today’s draw in Zurich will see Wales in pot two and hosting either the Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kosovo from the group below at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26.

The final – to be played five days later, with the hosts to be decided by a draw – will determine who progresses to next summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“Whenever we play at home, we’re confident against anyone,” said Wilson, who scored Wales’ first hat-trick for over four years after being named captain for the night with Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies injured and Ethan Ampadu suspended.