Northern Ireland and Wales could meet in the 2026 World Cup play-off final after being placed on the same pathway in the European draw at FIFA headquarters in Zurich. However, both must first navigate difficult semi-finals.
Northern Ireland travel to face Italy after finishing third behind Germany and Slovakia in their qualifying group, advancing to the play-offs as one of the best Nations League group winners outside the top two.
Unseeded in pot four, they drew a daunting tie against an Italy side eager to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup. Wales, who sealed second place in Group J behind Belgium with a 7-0 win over North Macedonia, will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff.
It will be their first meeting since 2015, when Wales qualified for Euro 2016. Meanwhile, Wales’ women begin their 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign with Rhian Wilkinson naming a squad that includes Liverpool trio Gemma Evans, Ceri Holland and Lily Woodham.
They face Czechia away on March 3 before hosting Montenegro in Llanelli on March 7. Wilkinson’s side return to Llanelli for the first time since July 2024, when they beat Kosovo 2-0 in a UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 qualifier, a match in which Jess Fishlock broke Cymru’s all-time scoring record in front of more than 4,000 fans.
Below is the full squad: Olivia CLARK (Leicester City), Safia MIDDLETON-PATEL (Manchester United), Poppy SOPER (Rugby Borough), Hannah CAIN (Leicester City), Charlie ESTCOURT (Portsmouth), Gemma EVANS (Liverpool), Olivia FRANCIS (Plymouth Argyle), Mared GRIFFITHS (Sunderland – On loan from Manchester United), Ceri HOLLAND (Liverpool), Elise HUGHES (Crystal PALACE), Sophie INGLE (Bristol City), Angharad JAMES (Seattle Reign), Lois JOEL (Newcastle United), Carrie JONES (IFK Norrköping), Hayley LADD (Crystal Palace), Esther MORGAN (Bristol City), Ffion MORGAN (West Ham United), Mary MCATEER (Charlton Athletic), Phoebie POOLE (Plymouth Argyle), Ella POWELL (Bristol City), Rhiannon ROBERTS (Sunderland), Mia ROSS (Charlton Athletic), Rachel ROWE (Nottingham Forest), Tianna TEISAR (Plymouth Argyle – On loan from Bristol City), Lily WOODHAM (Liverpool), Gwen ZIMMERMAN (Eclipse Select).
CARFAN CYMRU 🏴
Ready for our first camp of 2026! 💪
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) February 18, 2026
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