Ireland enter World Cup draw: All you need to know

The Republic of Ireland are in the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw on Friday. Find out all you need to know.

When and where?

Friday at 11am at FIFA headquarters in Zurich.

Where can I watch?

The draw will be live on RTÉ Player and the RTÉ News channel

What is the format and what is new?

This World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams from 32. Set to be held in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.

You may think that dramatically increases Ireland’s chances of qualifying.

Unfortunately not. The host nations automatically enter the tournament firstly.

In total 16 teams will come from Europe, that is an increase of three places from previous tournaments.

There will be 12 groups of either four or five teams.

With the dozen group winners qualifying automatically, the four remaining teams will be decided via a 16-team play-off involving the 12 group runners-up and the four best-ranked Nations League sides who failed to place in the top-two in their qualification group. But let’s not worry about that now.

Who could we face

Ireland are in Pot 3 of the draw after UEFA ranking is considered.

We can exclude the remaining Pot 3 sides so our opponents will come from

Pot 1: France, Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark and Austria

Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Czechia and Norway

Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia and Lithuania.

Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and San Marino

Complications do not end there

Ireland can be in a four or five-team group.

Due to involvement in next March’s Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs, where we face Bulgaria over two legs, our possible opponents have been limited somewhat.

A group of five can only hold one Nations League finals participant or one Nations League relegation play-off participant.

In short, it means it’s very likely we’ll be in a group of four based on the maths, but if all 12 groups do not have one play-off team by the time the Boys in Green come out of the drum, they can be placed in a larger group.

England or Switzerland would be likely opponents if we were in a five-team group as they are out of the Nations League.

We could face any of the top seeds if in a four-team group.

Also our chances of playing Kazakhstan from Pot 4 are reduced as UEFA have named 12 countries, including Ireland, that have excessive travel to the nation. As a result a maximum of one team can be paired with them from the dozen sides. It’s still possible we can face them, just less likely.

But more?

Yes, as the Nations League path is unpredictable with four quarter-finals to be played out, some teams will be identified as a tie rather than the individual opponent.

They are:

Netherlands v Spain
Croatia v France
Denmark v Portugal
Italy v Germany

They will be know as Nations League quarter-final winner/loser 1, 2, 3 or 4.

So when the draw is made we may not know exactly who we are playing, just that it will be difficult.

When will the games be?

Five-teams group will start in March, four-team groups start in September.

No matter what there will definitely be two matches in the September, October and November window ending between 16-18 November. There is also a window in June. Four-team groups will have room for two friendlies over the windows.

It will be over quickly, you can take that as a good thing or bad thing in these tough times for Ireland.

What if we reach the World Cup play-offs?

Optimism is welcome. There will be a semi-final on 26 March 2026 with a final five days later if we are good enough.