The European World Cup play-offs begin on Thursday, with four remaining qualification spots up for grabs for the expanded tournament set to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
A total of 16 teams will compete, consisting of the 12 runners-up from the qualifying groups and four top-ranked UEFA Nations League group winners who failed to qualify directly. These sides are split into four separate paths, each featuring one-legged semi-finals and finals, with only one team from each path advancing to the World Cup.
Northern Ireland national football team are aiming to end a near four-decade absence from the World Cup, having last appeared at the 1986 tournament.
They face a daunting semi-final against Italy national football team, a side they have not beaten since 1958. The match will be played in Bergamo at Atalanta’s stadium — a venue manager Michael O'Neill believes could work in his team’s favour compared to Italy’s traditional strongholds.
Victory would set up a potential final against Wales national football team, who host Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team in Cardiff. Under Craig Bellamy, Wales are targeting back-to-back World Cup appearances, although they have historically struggled in this fixture.
Sweden national football team boast one of Europe’s most exciting attacking pools, featuring Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga.
Graham Potter’s side, however, find themselves in a precarious position after finishing bottom of their qualifying group, relying on their Nations League performance to reach the play-offs.
They will face Ukraine national football team at a neutral venue in Valencia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Potter returns to familiar territory, having previously built his managerial reputation in Sweden with Östersunds FK.
Form remains a concern. Sweden are yet to register a win under Potter, and the absence of Isak through injury adds further uncertainty, though his return is expected in the coming weeks.
For Italy national football team, the stakes are particularly high. The four-time world champions have not appeared at a World Cup since 2014, and failure to qualify again would mark another significant setback.
Manager Gennaro Gattuso has already voiced frustration with the current qualification structure, after Italy finished second in their group despite winning six of eight matches.
A semi-final defeat to Northern Ireland could have major implications for Gattuso’s tenure, with scrutiny intensifying around the national setup.
Poland national football team, led by veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, are aiming to secure a place at what could be the forward’s final World Cup.
Robert Lewandowski, Poland’s all-time leading scorer, continues to play a decisive role, contributing both goals and creativity in recent fixtures. Poland enter their semi-final against Albania national football team in solid form, though their opponents have proven difficult to break down.
The winner will face either Sweden or Ukraine in the final, with a place at the World Cup on the line.
