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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
George Flood

World Cup 2026 play-off draw LIVE: Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Italy and Jamaica learn fate

World Cup Northern Ireland Wales World Cup 2026 George Flood Italy Jamaica Fifa
Football’s biggest prize: The FIFA World Cup trophy on display ahead of Thursday’s play-off draw in Zurich - (AFP via Getty Images)

World Cup 2026 play-off draw LIVE!

Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will all discover their fate as the draws for the 2026 World Cup play-offs take place this afternoon. All eyes are on FIFA headquarters in Zurich, where 16 teams enter the European play-offs following a thrilling end to UEFA qualifying that saw so many memorable moments, including Troy Parrott’s crucial last-gasp hat-trick goal for the Irish in Hungary and Scotland’s incredible late heroics to defeat Denmark and seal automatic progress to their first World Cup since 1998.

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