Wales now know who they could face at the 2026 World Cup, should they navigate the play-offs. The draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, has placed Craig Bellamy's side in Group B alongside co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Wales must first overcome a difficult play-off path. After finishing second in Group J of UEFA qualifying, they will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff on 26 March in a semi-final. If successful, they would then face either Italy or Northern Ireland for a place at the finals.
Wales last qualified for the World Cup in 2022, ending a 64-year absence. They exited in the group stage without a win, drawing with the United States and losing to England and Iran. Their potential group opponents have mixed recent records: Canada and Qatar both lost all three matches in 2022, while Switzerland reached the round of 16 before a heavy defeat to Portugal.
