What occurs now?
Eire’s gorgeous 3-2 win over Hungary has ensured a useful second-place end of their World Cup qualifying group. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s group turn out to be one in all 12 group runners-up to qualify for the World Cup playoffs, together with 4 groups from the 2024-25 Nations League.
The 16 groups go ahead to a playoff construction damaged into 4 sections. Every part consists of two semi-finals and a closing, which suggests 4 locations on the World Cup are up for grabs.
Eire should win a playoff semi-final on March twenty sixth, 2026, and observe it up with victory within the playoff closing 5 days later to safe a spot on the 2026 World Cup. Not straightforward, nevertheless it has already been fairly the achievement to get to the playoffs after getting back from the brink towards Hungary because of that Troy Parrott hat-trick.
When is the draw?
The draw to find out the 4 playoff sections, or “paths”, shall be held at noon on Thursday in Zurich.
Who will they play?
Albania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic have completed second of their qualifying group and are due to this fact by means of to the playoff.
Turkey are three factors behind Spain and prone to end within the playoff place. Italy, Poland and Kosovo additionally look prone to be playoff sure.
If Slovakia pull off a shock win away to Germany on Monday, the Germans shall be relegated to the playoffs. Nonetheless, it’s extra possible that Slovakia will end as group runner-up, taking one of many 16 slots.
North Macedonia and Wales – who’ve each already certified for the playoffs by means of the Nations League – face off for second in Group J in a contest that’s extra prone to determine seeding. Then we have now different closing matchups for first or second – Scotland or Denmark, Austria or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally by means of the Nations League, in addition to North Macedonia or Wales, are Sweden, Romania and Northern Eire.
How will it’s determined who performs who?
The 12 group runners-up shall be allotted to pots one to 3 (seeded primarily based on the Fifa males’s world rating of November 2025), whereas the 4 groups advancing by way of the Nations League shall be robotically positioned into pot 4. Romania, Sweden and Northern Eire are assured to be in pot 4. The opposite group shall be North Macedonia or Wales.
Groups from Pot 1 shall be drawn towards these from Pot 4 with Pot 2 dealing with sides from Pot 3.
Here’s a potential checklist of seeding positions, as issues stand, however they’re very a lot topic to vary within the coming days:
Pot 1:
Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland
Pot 2:
Scotland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Republic of Eire.
Pot 3:
Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Kosovo
Pot 4:
Sweden, Wales, Romania, Northern Eire
Value remembering
The likes of Denmark and Austria is also concerned. And Ukraine’s late targets towards Iceland on Sunday could but play a component in pushing Eire into an unseeded place in pot three.
What do seeded and unseeded pots imply?
In case you are seeded in Pot 1 and a pair of you play the playoff semi-final at dwelling. The unseeded groups in Pot 3 and Nations League groups in Pot 4 will play their semi-finals away from dwelling. The house facet for every closing shall be determined by a draw. There shall be no replays with all ties selected the evening, with extra-time and penalties if mandatory.
