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So theoretically, the draw could end up looking like this:
Italy v Northern Ireland
Denmark v Sweden
Turkey v Romania
Ukraine v North Macedonia
Wales v Republic of Ireland
Poland v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Czech Republic v Kosovo
Slovakia v Albania
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Preamble
Scotland booked their plane tickets to the good ol’ US of A with a sensational 4-2 win against Denmark on Tuesday. But Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales will all need to negotiate a playoff in March if they are to join Steve Clarke’s side at the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America.
The format of the imminent draw is simple. There are four places at the tournament on offer and 16 teams in the playoffs: 12 runners-up from the World Cup qualifying groups, and four teams who qualified via the Nations League. Anyone hoping to make the tournament must win a “semi-final” and “final”.
Pots 1 and 2 and seeded teams, and Pots 3 and 4 and unseeded. The teams in Pots 1 and 2 get a home semi-final. Teams from Pot 1 will be drawn against teams from Pot 4, so it’s Pot 2 v Pot 3 in the other four matches. Each “path” to the World Cup will include a team from each pot.
Pot 1: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine.
Pot 2: Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia.
Pot 3: Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo.
Pot 4: Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland.
The draw commences at 12pm UK time.
Let’s get ready to rumble!
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