These are the play-offs in March which set out the final two places and don't involve any countries from Europe. The draw also takes place on Thursday at the same time.

Six nations will take part, in two paths with a semi-final and a final.

However, world ranking is even more important as the two countries with the best ranking go direct to the final.

Asia: Iraq

Africa: DR Congo

Concacaf: Jamaica, Suriname

Conmebol: Bolivia

OFC: New Caledonia

For the draw, the highest-ranked country (DR Congo) will automatically be in final one, and the second-highest (Iraq) in final two. There will then be an open draw of the four remaining teams into each semi-final position.

The only constraint is that there must be one Concacaf team in each path.

First up it's the inter-confederation draw...

Mercifully short from Fifa president Gianni Infantino and now we've got France World Cup winner Christian Karembeu.

He'll help with the draw this afternoon - and it looks like it might not be too far... oh never mind, here's an explainer video.

We've explained how this all works for you here.

Image source, Getty Images

Here come the big wigs. Fifa president Gianni Infantino is out to give us a bit of spiel about the World Cup before the draw starts.

Settle in, folks.

Here we go. The draw is getting under way.

Well, the pre-amble had started anyway. Hopefully it won't be too long before the draw itself begins.

Remember you can watch live on BBC iPlayer, the Red Button and at the top of this very page.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Italy are one of the most successful teams in World Cup history, lifting the trophy on four occasions.

But since their most recent win in 2006, they have not made it beyond the group stage. In fact, they didn't make it to the finals at all in 2018 or 2022.

The play-offs await this time as they try to avoid having to watch a third straight World Cup from home.

Denmark are another of the pot one sides and are aiming to qualify for a third World Cup in a row for the first time in their history.

They'll feel they should already have it secured after blowing a lead at home to Belarus, eventually drawing 2-2, when a win would have booked their place.

Instead, Scotland were given a chance and took in the most dramatic circumstances to leave the Danes full of regret and in the play-offs.

Both are potential opponents for Northern Ireland, along with Turkey and Ukraine.

One of the toughest draws for Wales could be Albania. They conceded just five goals in qualifying and four of those came across two games against England.

Of course, there is also the possibility of Wales and Republic of Ireland being drawn to face one another in Cardiff. Bosnia and Kosovo are the other teams Craig Bellamy's men could come up against.

Wales aside, Republic of Ireland's potential opponents are Poland and Robert Lewandowski, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Well if it is Dave, we're in a bit of bother.

No, it's definitely 12:00. The draw for the World Cup tournament itself will be at 17:00 GMT on 5 December though.

We'll bring you that live, too. Free plug, cheers!

For this one though, you'll be able to watch along live with us by clicking 'Watch live' at the top of the page when it appears shortly.

It's also available to view via BBC iPlayer or the red button if you've got the tele box on!

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales

Wales fans might be hoping to avoid the Republic of Ireland, if only because the two countries have faced each other so frequently in recent years.

Between 2017 and 2020, they met no fewer than six times.

The Irish edged the most important one of all, as James McClean's 2017 winner in Cardiff knocked Wales out of contention to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Since then, however, Wales have certainly had the better of things, winning three and drawing one of their four subsequent meetings.

The highlight from a Welsh perspective was a thumping 4-1 Nations League win at Cardiff City Stadium in 2018, a measure of revenge for their World Cup qualifying defeat at the same ground 11 months earlier.

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Asked whether he would mark the goal that sparked the Republic of Ireland into fits of joyous celebration with a new tattoo, Troy Parrott replied: "No, I think when we get to the World Cup that's when I'll get one!"

It is ironic that Parrott has a penchant for tattoos - his injury time winner against Hungary on Sunday is a moment now permanently inked in the annals of Irish football.

Ray Houghton's goal against Italy at World Cup 1994, Robbie Brady's winner - also against the Azzuri - at Euro 2016 and now Parrott in Budapest in November 2025.

The stuff of legend.

And less than 24 hours after that glorious night, Parrott is speaking exclusively to BBC Sport to somehow articulate the goal that will change his life forever.

"How many times I have watched it back? Probably about 500 times - every time I go on to my phone, it's there," Parrott explained.

"Even last night when I got to bed, I couldn't sleep imagining it over and over and over again.

"In general, I'm not really an emotional person, it's the first time I've cried in years. Look I can sit here and try to describe it, but it is the first time I've felt something like that.

"I've scored goals before but none as meaningful as my last one against Hungary. As a country we've had a lot of disappointing results and haven't given the fans a lot to cheer about, so this was tears of joy."

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Most Republic of Ireland fans are still in a daze from events of the past week.

To be fair, even the most ardent supporter would have had a hard time convincing other people of the Republic of Ireland's play-off chances halfway through the qualifying campaign.

For the unaware, they had one point from three games. Having already lost to Armenia, when Ruben Neves headed a late winner for Portugal in the third game, the Irish squad were at a low ebb.

Interestingly, another Portuguese head crushed Irish hopes of reaching the 2022 World Cup. In that case, it was Cristiano Ronaldo, but the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had a much different impact on the Irish journey this time around.

His red card and a couple of Troy Parrott goals ensured a shock Republic of Ireland win in Dublin before Sunday's epic defeat of Hungary in Budapest, where Parrott cemented his national hero status.

Five weeks ago, Heimir Hallgrimsson was barely hanging on to the Republic of Ireland job. Now, there's talk of a new deal for the Icelander. It's all very exciting, and given the torment of recent years, most Irish fans feel they deserve it.

Republic of Ireland

Image source, Getty Images

It all came to the most dramatic of conclusions after back-to-back famous wins for the Republic of Ireland.

Not many would have seen those coming after their first three Group F games...

• Republic of Ireland 2-2 Hungary
• Armenia 2-1 Republic of Ireland

• Portugal 1-0 Republic of Ireland
• Republic of Ireland 1-0 Armenia
• Republic of Ireland 2-0 Portugal
• Hungary 2-3 Republic of Ireland

Image source, Getty Images

In the end, the conclusion to Northern Ireland's Group A campaign ended in decidedly flat fashion with their 1-0 win over Luxembourg on Monday night having no bearing whatsoever on the final table.

By then, Michael O'Neill's side were already in today's play-off draw thanks to winning their Nations League group, but there was still a potentially significant development at an understandably subdued Windsor Park nonetheless.

In the middle of a difficult season on loan at Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur's Jamie Donley was deployed out-of-position as a number nine and performed well, scoring the winner from the penalty spot.

Centre-forward has been a problem position for Northern Ireland for years but, at the very end of the qualifying campaign, has O'Neill found a solution that could help fire the side to a first World Cup in four decades come March?

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

With four-time World Cup winners Germany in their group, a play-off spot always felt the most likely target for Michael O'Neill's side in qualifying.

Such all-or-nothing deciders have not been kind to Northern Ireland teams in the past, however.

Mere mention of a World Cup play-off is enough to bring a shudder from supporters after, back in the days of two-legged affairs, their 2017 tie with Switzerland was settled only by a Ricardo Rodriguez penalty awarded in controversial circumstances.

In the current format of one-legged semis and finals, there was a memorable penalty shootout win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the campaign to make it to Euro 2020, but that was followed by extra-time heartbreak against Slovakia as the side missed out on making it to a second consecutive European Championships.

Northern Ireland

Three wins and three losses saw Northern Ireland miss out on a top-two place in their World Cup qualifying but Michael O'Neill's side already had a play-off spot secured.

That is thanks to winning their Uefa Nations League group last year. In a group also featuring Bulgaria, Belarus and Luxembourg, Northern Ireland's three wins and two draws were enough to come out on top.

Kath Morgan
Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Cymru

I don't think anybody would want to come to the Cardiff City Stadium, i have to be honest. We're very good at home.

For me I think, there's no easy international games, all international teams are very good quality, but you know, I think, you're probably looking at Kosovo would be a nice one for us.

We owe Republic of Ireland a drumming as well, so you know as long as we control and play as well as we know we can, then we will beat anybody, but its pressure, its intensity on the day. So, we need to turn up again.