The two home nations were placed on the same pathway during Thursday’s 16-team European draw held at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, meaning they will battle each other in a one-off final for a place at next summer’s expanded tournament in North America if they each come through their respective one-legged semi-final matches.
That will be easier said than done however, with Northern Ireland travelling to face Italy and Wales hosting Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Northern Ireland came third behind Germany and Slovakia in their World Cup qualifying group, but still joined the 12 runners-up in the play-offs as one of the four best Nations League group winners who did not manage a top-two qualification finish.
Reprieve: Northern Ireland finished third in their World Cup qualifying group but reached the play-offs through the Nations League
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They were unseeded in pot four as a result of the latest FIFA world rankings and knew they would be away to a seeded team from pot one in the semi-finals, drawing arguably the toughest test available in an Italy team desperate to avoid missing out on a third consecutive World Cup after the four-time winners were easily bested by Norway in qualifying, losing 4-1 in Milan on Sunday.
Wales, meanwhile, put seven goals past North Macedonia in their final qualifier to seal second place in Group J behind Belgium, earning a home semi-final tie as a seeded team in pot two.
They will welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina to Cardiff in a first meeting between the nations since a crunch European Championship qualifier back in 2015, when Wales qualified for Euro 2016 – where they reached the semi-finals – to end their 57-year wait for a major tournament appearance despite a 2-0 defeat in Zenica.
Bosnia finished two points behind Austria in Group H after a decisive 1-1 draw in Vienna on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland’s only win over Italy to date came all the way back in 1958 as they secured their place at that year’s World Cup in Sweden. The teams played out a goalless draw in Belfast in their last match in November 2021 that thwarted the Azzurri’s attempts to qualify automatically for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Leading the way: Three goals from captain Harry Wilson saw Wales thrash North Macedonia 7-1 in their final qualifier in Cardiff
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Following a shock win over Portugal and Troy Parrott’s incredible last-gasp hat-trick goal in Budapest that saw Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side pip Hungary to second place in Group F, the Republic of Ireland were placed on path D during Thursday’s draw and will travel to Prague to meet Czechia in their semi-final tie, with the winners facing either Denmark or North Macedonia.
Czechia finished a distant second behind Croatia in Group L, while North Macedonia joined Sweden, Romania and Northern Ireland as the four teams to reach the play-offs through the Nations League, having finished third behind Belgium and Wales in Group J.
Path B will see Ukraine host Graham Potter’s Sweden and Poland take on Albania, who finished as runners-up to England in Group K. In Path C, Turkey will be at home to Romania as Slovakia entertain Kosovo.
All European play-off semi-final and final fixtures will take place during the next international break in March 2026.
Also conducted on Thursday was the draw for the separate six-team intercontinental World Cup play-offs, to be held in Mexico in March.
Last-gasp heroics: Troy Parrott’s hat-trick goal in stoppage time in Budapest saw the Republic of Ireland pip Hungary in the race for a play-off spot
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Jamaica’s fellow CONCACAF representatives Suriname are up against the seventh-place finishers from South America in Bolivia, with Iraq awaiting in the final of pathway 2.
New Caledonia and Suriname will both hope to join Curacao, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and Jordan as debutants at the 2026 World Cup which has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
Semi-final 1: Italy vs Northern Ireland
Semi-final 2: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Semi-final 3: Ukraine vs Sweden
Semi-final 4: Poland vs Albania
Semi-final 5: Turkey vs Romania
Semi-final 6: Slovakia vs Kosovo
Semi-final 7: Denmark vs North Macedonia
Semi-final 8: Czechia vs Republic of Ireland
Intercontinental play-off draw
New Caledonia vs Jamaica (winners to face DR Congo in final)
Bolivia vs Suriname (winners to face Iraq in final)
