The Republic of Ireland will be in pot 3 for next month’s World Cup qualifying draw in Zurich.
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side jumped three spots in today’s updated Fifa world ranking, but remain in pot 3 for the draw, which will take place on December 13th. Northern Ireland are also in pot 3.
The Republic of Ireland are already guaranteed to be in one of the six four-team groups because of their involvement in next March’s Nations League promotion/relegation playoffs.
In the expanded 48-team World Cup 2026, 16 will come from Europe, with the 12 group winners qualifying automatically, while the four remaining teams will be decided via a 16-team playoff involving the 12 group runners-up and the four best-ranked Nations League sides who failed to place in the top-two in their qualification group.
Pot 1: France, Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark and Austria
Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Türkiye, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Czechia and Norway
Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Israel
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia and Lithuania
Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and San Marino
David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times
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