2026 World Cup qualifiers draw: Wales hosts Bosnia, and Northern Ireland visits Italy

This is an eventful playoff run for Wales, who have once again been unlucky when it comes to securing home advantage.

Since the introduction of a single-leg semi-final and final format, Wales have played all four of their matches at Cardiff City Stadium. By March next year, that number could reach six out of six.

Firstly, they will need to win their semi-final at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as Wales qualified for Euro 2016, their first major tournament in 58 years.

Then there could be a home final against Italy, who lost on their last visit to Cardiff in 2002, with current Wales coach Craig Bellamy scoring the winner.

Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s current coach, came on as a substitute in that 2-1 defeat at what was then known as the Millennium Stadium.

Italy, a four-time World Cup winner, is the highest-ranked country in the qualifiers.

Wales awaits tough matches, but its chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the second time in a row, and only the third in its history, will swing.