🔗 Share this article

Wales' focus are squarely on the upcoming World Cup playoff draw as they prepare for learning their semi-final and possible final opponents.

Having finished as runners-up in their qualifying pool thanks to a commanding 7-1 win over North Macedonia – their largest win since 1978 – Wales will host the semi-final match on home soil.

They will play against either the Albanian side, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Kosovan team or Ireland in that fixture on 26 March.

Former Wales forward Rob Earnshaw believes the Welsh squad will welcome a match against whichever team following their latest result at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his approach is 'give us anyone, we're ready'," Earnshaw said.

"Many fans were asking recently, 'should we actually want Ireland because of that derby atmosphere?'. In my view a number of supporters were hesitant. But for me, that would be amazing.

"So it's that type of situation, indeed, we'll take the Kosovans or Bosnia and Albania are decent and Republic of Ireland, of course, they're a strong team so it will be tough.

"However the sense is that we're prepared for anyone right now and we're confident, and much of that is because of Craig Bellamy."

Possible Play-off Semifinal Rivals Reviewed

Wales are placed thirty-fourth in the world rankings, with the Albanian team 61st, Republic of Ireland 62nd, Bosnia-Herzegovina seventy-fifth and the Kosovan side eighty-fourth.

The Albanian national team enjoyed a solid qualification campaign, with their only losses coming at the hands of their group winners England, who claimed maximum points without conceding a single goal.

Burnley's Armando Broja and Lazio's Elseid Hysaj are among the Albanian squad's more notable names, although it was ex- Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford forward Rey Manaj who topped their goal tally in the qualifiers with three goals.

It is worth noting, the Albanians have not yet qualified for a FIFA World Cup, though they featured at Euro 2016 and Euro 2024, not managing to advance to the last 16 on each occasions.

As Slovenia and Sweden endured poor campaigns, with both not managing to win a qualification match, Group B was a straight shootout between Switzerland and the Kosovan team.

The Switzerland ended the six-game campaign 3 points clear of the Kosovans, whose single loss came at the hands of the pool winners.

The Kosovan squad include former Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and La Liga's Vedat Muriqi – his nation's all-time leading goalscorer – in a team aiming for a maiden international competition appearance.

They have never faced the Welsh team.

Bosnia were defeated only one time in qualifying, and earned a point more than Wales achieved in their eight games, but still ended two points adrift of their group winners Austria.

They were 13 minutes away from securing a place at the finals, but Michael Gregoritsch's leveler for the Austrians meant the pair drew in the final game of qualifying and Ralf Rangnick's team topped the group.

Wales have not managed to defeat the Bosnian side in four attempts but experienced a memorable loss against the Dragons as they earned qualification for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman even after the defeat.

Being his nation's historic leading scorer and record appearance player, former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is undoubtedly Bosnia's key player.

The veteran was his team's leading goalscorer in the qualifiers with 5 goals.

And finally, we have Ireland.

Having taken just one point from their first 3 qualifiers, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side surged into the play-offs with successive wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.

Troy Parrott scored the two goals against the 2016 European Championship winners Portugal before scoring a triple – with the third goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Republic of Ireland stunned Hungary to take runner-up place in Group F in thrilling fashion.

Talisman Seamus Coleman played a crucial role in his side's resurgence while Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has made the starting position his own.

Ireland are without a win in their last 4 meetings with Wales, losing three of those, although James McClean shattered the hearts of the Red Wall as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifying match at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.