The Republic of Ireland have been confirmed as one of the lowest, fourth-ranked seeds in the World Cup draw on December 5th.
Although Heimir Hallgrímsson’s team must come through a playoff semi-final against the Czech Republic in Prague on March 26th and final against Denmark or North Macedonia on March 31st in Dublin, to feature at North America 2026, Fifa have placed the four outstanding European qualifiers in Pot 4.
The World Cup draw is on Friday week at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, at 5pm Irish time.
Fifa have also confirmed that Spain and Argentina, as the top ranked nations in the world, cannot meet until the World Cup final on July 19th at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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The top four ranked countries, which include France and England, will also be kept apart until the semi-finals.
Ireland had a possibility of being drawn in Pot 2 if they overcame Denmark as Brian Riemer’s side would be second seeds as they are ranked 21st in the world. However, Fifa decided to classify the 16 outstanding European playoff sides, that are battling for four remaining spots, as bottom seeds.
This means that one of the co-hosts – USA, Mexico or Canada – could be grouped with Italy if Gennaro Gattuso can guide the four-time champions through a playoff at home to Northern Ireland and overcome the winners of Wales versus Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Three Uefa members cannot be drawn in the same group.
Ireland will be categorised as ‘Playoff D’ in Friday week’s draw, when fans will learn the potential opponents and path to the final if Hallgrímsson’s men overcome the Czech Republic and Denmark or North Macedonia in March.
Fifa will confirm all the venues and kick-off times for the 104 tournament matches on Saturday, December 6th.
The World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams for the first time in its 95 year history, with the winners and runners-up from 12 groups of four joined in the last 32 knock-out round by the best eight third-place sides.
Forty-two teams have already qualified with 16 European nations – Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania, Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo, Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic and Republic of Ireland – to be whittled down to four on March 31st.
There are two outstanding places to be decided via an inter-confederation playoffs, where the winners of New Caledonia and Jamaica face the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the winners of Bolivia and Suriname face Iraq.
Pot 1 will include the host nations, USA, Canada and Mexico alongside Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
Mexico will be in top seeds in Group A so they can open the tournament at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11th and play their other group games on home soil.
The same goes for Canada in Group B, playing in Toronto and Vancouver, while the US are in Group D, playing two of their three group matches in Los Angeles and the other in Seattle.
Pot 2 – based on Fifa rankings – will be Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria and Australia.
Pot 3 includes Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
Pot 4 includes Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, and the six outstanding qualifiers.
This means that Pico Lopes, the Crumlin-born, Shamrock Rovers captain and Cape Verde defender, cannot face Ireland in the group stages.
Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany.
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia.
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.
Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoff A, B, C and D [Republic of Ireland], Fifa playoff tournament 1 and 2.
