Reaction and your views as the draw is made for the World Cup qualifying play-offs - here's the full draw
Northern Ireland are drawn away to Italy in the semi-finals with the winner facing a potential trip to Wales in the final - Wales have been drawn at home to Bosnia
'Wales will be delighted with two home ties', writes Dafydd Pritchard, while 'it's the hardest draw Northern Ireland could have faced', says Jonathan Bradley
Republic of Ireland are away to Czech Republic before a potential Denmark final which Republic of Ireland could host
The semi-finals take place on Thursday 26 March and the finals on Tuesday 31 March 2026
How do the play-offs for the World Cup work? There are four pots with four nations in each; pot one teams will draw a team from pot four, and pot two teams will draw a team from pot three - watch our explainer
Inter-confederation play-offs: New Caledonia v Jamaica (winner plays DR Congo) | Bolivia v Suriname (winner plays Iraq)
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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!
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Is the draw at 5 pm GMT and not 12 GMT as advertised on here?
Dave, Kent
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 ImagesAsked 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."
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Get rid of Nations League. It’s ridiculous that Sweden can have such a poor campaign & yet still qualify for the playoffs!
Adam, Sweden
Potentially you've got SWE in there through Nations league, only getting 2 draws in their qualifying group who could go to the WC at the expense of, say, Italy. Not right, is it?
Glyn, Dunstable
Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesTroy Parrott (right) has become a national hero after his five-goal blitz against Portugal and Hungary
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 ImagesIt 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...
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I think out of the top sides left in, Italy are the most vulnerable. Wales, Ireland and the Republic of Ireland wouldn't mind facing them in semi or final. I think Wales have the best chance. Luck comes into it also.
Mark, Little Lever
Image source, Getty ImagesJamie Donley scored his first international goal against Luxembourg on Wednesday night
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.
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Get rid of seeding. Stop making it easy for the larger Nations. They may as well just give the likes of Spain, England, France etc a free pass to the finals.
Stan, Leicester
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.
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Instead of home advantage for the final play-offs being decided randomly, it should be decided by semi-final performance, i.e. whichever team wins their semi-final by the greater goal difference should get home advantage for the final.
Jonathan, Newcastle
Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales
Wales have had their fair share of good fortune when it’s come to play-off draws in recent years.
Since this format of single-leg semi-finals and finals was introduced, Wales have played all four of their matches at Cardiff City Stadium.
They’ve got a strong record too, winning three out of four. The first two – victories over Austria and Ukraine – saw them qualify for the 2022 World Cup, their first appearance in the finals for 64 years.
After beating Finland 4-1 in their Euro 2024 play-off semi-final, however, Rob Page’s Wales lost on penalties to Poland in March last year.
Now under the guidance of Craig Bellamy, Wales know they’ll be at home again for next year’s World Cup play-off semi-final and, with a bit of luck, they’ll be back at Cardiff City Stadium for the final on 31 March.
Wales
Image source, Getty ImagesCraig Bellamy's side have enjoyed an impressive qualifying campaign with their only defeats coming against table-topping Belgium.
North Macedonia pushed them until the last matchday before being swept aside by Wales at Cardiff City Stadium.
Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport
Four, fellow Ben!
Sixteen teams will feature in the initial semi-finals, that drops to eight for the play-off finals and then the final four will all head to America.
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Ok - I'll ask the dumb question. How many teams can actually qualify? 2?
Ben, Birmingham
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland secured a play-off spot thanks to being one of the four best Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two of their qualifying group.
That means Michael O'Neill's side will travel a pot one team in the play-off semi-final.
Potential play-off semi-final opponents:
Should Northern Ireland win their semi-final match, they will face the winner of one of the Pot 2 v Pot 3 semi-finals for a place at the World Cup.
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I hope Wales don’t draw Ireland. Aside from the fact that they’re in good form, it would be great for both our teams to progress to the playoff finals. Home draw for final would be key for us (not counting my chickens).
Alex, Swansea
