BOTH Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are within touching distance of the 2026 World Cup.
Michael O’Neill’s side and Heimir Hallgrimsson’s men are in the European play-off semi-finals, meaning they are just two wins from making it to the major tournament in the summer.
Northern Ireland need to beat Italy in Bergamo TONIGHT in a one-match shootout to progress to the final.
The Republic of Ireland also have a tricky away game against the Czech Republic to get through and then the final.
The finals will be played on Tuesday, March 31 at 7.45pm.
Who will Northern Ireland face in the World Cup play-off final?
Northern Ireland need to beat four-time champions Italy in their Path A semi-final.
Italy have not been at the last two World Cups and failure to make three in a row would be a huge embarrassment for a football-obsessed country.
Northern Ireland have not been involved in one since 1958.
The winner of the tie plays Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final on Tuesday.
Depending on who wins the Wales vs Bosnia game, the final will take place in either Cardiff or Zenica.
Who will Republic of Ireland face in the World Cup play-off final?
The Republic of Ireland must beat Czech Republic to progress to the final.
The Irish have not been at a World Cup since 2002 when a feud between captain Roy Keane and boss Mick McCarthy hit the headlines.
As for the Czech Republic, they have failed to qualify since 2006.
The winner of the semi-final clash meets either Denmark or North Macedonia in the final on Tuesday night.
How do the World Cup play-off matches work?
Four teams will make the 2026 World Cup via the European play-off round.
A total of 16 teams will battle it out in one-legged semi-finals and then a one-legged final.
The top seeded teams play their semi-final match at home and the final will be in a neutral stadium.
Four Nations League qualifiers and the other lowest ranked qualifiers go in unseeded.
Play-off paths in full
Path A
- Semi-final: Italy vs Northern Ireland
- Semi-final: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Final: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy/Northern Ireland
Path B
- Semi-final: Ukraine vs Sweden
- Semi-final: Poland vs Albania
- Final: Ukraine/Sweden vs Poland/Albania
Path C
- Semi-final: Turkey vs Romania
- Semi-final: Slovakia vs Kosovo
- Final: Slovakia/Kosovo vs Turkey/Romania
Path D
- Semi-final: Denmark vs North Macedonia
- Semi-final: Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland
- Final: Czech Republic/Republic of Ireland vs Denmark/North Macedonia
