Former Ireland player and current assistant coach John O’Shea has admitted he can’t wait to get the World Cup qualifiers underway next year.
Ireland’s potential route to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico was officially set this month. The Boys in Green were drawn in Group F alongside Hungary, Armenia, and either Portugal or Denmark.
The route to the World Cup looks more promising than previous years, and O’Shea is welcoming the exciting challenge.
“To have World Cup qualifiers next year, it gets the juices going as a player,” said O’Shea on the FAI website
“But also for staff and fans in particular too, so you’re building all that package together, and hopefully there’ll be a lot of excitement to come.”
However, Ireland will first have to play a Nations League promotion/relegation two-legged play-off against Bulgaria next March.
Waterford native O’Shea knows that Ireland should be slight favourites for the game but isn’t expecting it to be as straightforward as some suggest.

“We know Bulgaria isn’t going to be easy. We know we’re playing a team from the group below, so to speak. You’re thinking, ‘OK, we should be favourites,’ and rightly so, but ultimately it’s a really close game. We know it will be a good test, but ultimately we’ll be well prepared, and I’m sure we’ll have a very competitive squad to pick from as well.”
The likes of Festy Ebosele, Finn Azaz, Mark McGuinness, and Andy Moran have come into the Ireland fold under Heimir Hallgrimsson, who took over in July.
O’Shea believes the emergence of young Irish talent in the squad can only be a good thing heading into 2025. This will only add healthy competition, in his opinion.
“I think that’s massive. That’s a massive aspect we’ve really tried to get across to the players. In the time I was having to pick a squad or two, you’re seeing the emergence of more players,” added O’Shea.
“Players who are playing at their clubs and really standing out. It’s so competitive getting into the squad, and that’s only going to get better going forward because of the level of players now. The lads who haven’t played in the last five or six months are going to be knocking on the door to go out and get playing time, whether it’s at their own clubs or different clubs, because they know there are younger players coming in behind them.
“Again, there’s going to be big pressure to stay in the squad, and ultimately that leads to healthy competition. That’s what we need, and hopefully, that’s what we’ll see going forward.”
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