Craig Bellamy's squad Set to Take on Whichever Opponent in FIFA World Cup Qualifying Draw

Wales football team celebration

Wales have secured eight of their previous sixteen matches under coach Craig Bellamy

The team's focus are firmly on the upcoming World Cup play-off draw as they await learning their semi-final and possible final challengers.

Having ended second in their qualification pool following a commanding 7-1 victory over North Macedonia – their largest win since 1978 – the side will host the semifinal encounter on their own turf.

They will face either the Albanian side, Bosnia, the Kosovan team or Republic of Ireland in that match on 26 March.

Ex- Wales forward Rob Earnshaw believes the Dragons will welcome a tie against whichever opponent following their most recent result at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I'm familiar with Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his mentality is 'give us whoever, we're ready'," Earnshaw stated.

"A lot of fans were asking last night, 'should we really want Ireland as it's that derby feel?'. I think a number of people were hesitant. But for me, that would be incredible.

"It's that type of situation, indeed, we'll take the Kosovans or the Bosnians and Albania are competitive and Republic of Ireland, of course, they're a very good team so it will be tough.

"But the sense is that we'll take anybody at the moment and we're confident, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy."

Possible Playoff Semi-final Opponents Reviewed

Wales are placed thirty-fourth in the world rankings, with the Albanian team sixty-first, Republic of Ireland 62nd, Bosnia-Herzegovina seventy-fifth and Kosovo 84th.

The Albanian national team had a impressive qualifying run, with their sole defeats coming at the hands of Group K winners England, who claimed full points without allowing a single goal.

Burnley's Armando Broja and the Serie A side's Elseid Hysaj are among the Red and Blacks's prominent names, though it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford forward Rey Manaj who topped their scoring tally in qualifying with three goals.

Notably, the Albanians have not yet earned a spot for a World Cup, although they participated at Euro 2016 and Euro 2024, failing to reach the knockout stages on both times.

While Slovenia and Sweden had torrid runs, with both not managing to win a qualification match, Group B was a direct battle between Switzerland and Kosovo.

The Swiss finished the six-game campaign 3 points ahead of Kosovo, whose single loss came at the hands of the pool winners.

The Kosovan squad include former Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi – his country's historic leading goalscorer – in a squad aiming for a first international competition appearance.

They have not yet faced the Welsh team.

Bosnia-Herzegovina lost only one time in qualifying, and claimed a point more than the Welsh managed in their 8 games, but nonetheless finished two points adrift of Group H winners Austria.

They were 13 minutes away from clinching a spot at the finals, but Michael Gregoritsch's equaliser for the Austrians ensured the teams tied in the final game of qualification and Ralf Rangnick's team topped the pool.

Wales have not managed to beat the Bosnians in four attempts but experienced a memorable defeat against the Dragons as they earned qualification for Euro 2016 under Chris Coleman even after the defeat.

Being his country's all-time top goalscorer and record appearance player, ex- Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is unquestionably Bosnia's key player.

The veteran was his team's top scorer in qualifying with 5 goals.

Lastly, we have Ireland.

After secured only a single point from their first three matches, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side stormed into the playoffs with successive wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.

Troy Parrott netted both goals against the 2016 European Championship winners Portugal before scoring a triple – with the final goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Republic of Ireland stunned Hungary to secure runner-up spot in Group F in dramatic style.

Talisman Seamus Coleman had a crucial role in his side's resurgence while Premier League goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has made the starting position his to keep.

The Republic of Ireland are winless in their past four encounters with the Welsh, losing 3 of those, although James McClean broke the hearts of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifying match at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.

Scott Page
Scott Page

A passionate gamer and content creator specializing in loot mechanics and gaming strategies, with years of experience in the industry.