The Republic of Ireland have avoided Europe’s big hitters in the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side have been drawn in a four-team group alongside Portugal or Denmark, Hungary, and Armenia. It might not be the most glamorous group, but it’s one from which Ireland will feel they can certainly pick up points.
The top seeds will be either Portugal or Denmark – with the winner of the Nations League quarter-final between those sides next March competing in Ireland’s Group F for the World Cup qualifiers.
Given the likes of France, England, Spain, Germany, and Netherlands were among the 12 teams in Pot 1, Ireland have avoided what would be perceived more daunting tasks – albeit recent fixtures against both Portugal and Denmark have proved fruitless in terms of victories for the boys in green.
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Since 2021 Ireland have played Portugal on three occasions – with two defeats and one draw. The most recent fixture was a friendly in June of this year, which Portugal won 3-0.
Ireland and Denmark have met six times since 2017 – with the sides playing out five draws, while the Danes also chalked up a 5-1 victory in Dublin in a World Cup play-off in November 2017.
Indeed, there is plenty of familiarity within Group F as Ireland have faced all of the sides in the recent past.
Ireland played Hungary in friendlies in 2021 (0-0 in Budapest) and June of this year (2-1, Dublin)
Armenia beat Stephen Kenny’s Ireland 1-0 in a Nations League clash in Yerevan in June 2022. Ireland won the Dublin fixture between the sides, 3-2, three months later.
Ireland beat Armenia home (2-1) and away (1-0) in the Euro 2012 qualifiers during Giovanni Trapattoni’s time in charge.
Getting picked in a four team group is also a benefit for Ireland, as it allows Hallgrimsson to consider friendly matches during the June window next year with the qualfiers for four-team groups taking place between September and November.
World Cup Qualifying Draw
Group A: Winner of Germany v Italy, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Loser of Portugal v Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus.
Group D: Winner of France v Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.
Group E: Winner of Spain v Netherlands, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.
Group F: Winner of Portugal v Denmark, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia.
Group G: Loser of Spain v Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.
Group I: Loser of Germany v Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.
Group L: Loser of France v Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
Qualifiers will be played between March and November 2025.
How many teams qualify?
Direct qualification for the tournament will go to the 12 group winners.
The 12 group runners-up and the four highest-ranked ranked group winners from the 2024/25 Nations League that didn’t win or come second in their European qualifiers group go to the playoffs, from which four teams will qualify for the World Cup.
For the playoffs, the 16 teams will be drawn to make four groups of four. Each group will have a semi-final and final, the four final winners earning a spot at the World Cup.
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