Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in a decisive World Cup 2026 playoff,while Northern Ireland’s path leads them to Italy and the Republic of Ireland will travel to Prague following today’s draw. These matches represent a final chance for European nations to qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament,co-hosted by the United States,Canada,and Mexico.The European playoff draw revealed further pairings: Ukraine will play Sweden, with the winner hosting either Poland or Albania. Slovakia or Kosovo will then compete against Turkey or Romania for a final qualifying spot. These matches will be played during the March international break.
Separately, the inter-confederation playoffs were also drawn.Jamaica will face New Caledonia, with the victor taking on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bolivia and Suriname will play for the right to face Iraq. These inter-confederation ties will also be held in March, hosted in the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Guadalajara.
Notably, Jamaica will be under new leadership for these crucial matches, following Steve McClaren’s resignation as head coach this week.
