World Cup 2026 play-offs draw: When is it and which pot are Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland in?
Everything Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland fans need to know for World Cup play-offs draw
- Sixteen European teams will compete in the World Cup play-offs for four remaining qualification spots, with the draw scheduled for Thursday 20 November at 12pm GMT.
- Teams will be drawn into four paths, with each nation needing two wins to secure a place in the World Cup.
- The play-off matches will be single-leg knockout games, with semi-finals on 26 March and finals on 31 March.
- Wales are in pot two and will have a home match against either Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kosovo in the semi-finals.
- Republic of Ireland are in pot three and will have an away match against either Poland, Wales, Czechia or Slovakia in the semi-finals, while Northern Ireland are in pot four and will also have an away semi-final against either Italy, Denmark, Turkey or Ukraine.