Wales Set to Face Whichever Opponent in FIFA World Cup Playoff Fixture
The team has secured 8 of their previous 16 matches under coach Craig Bellamy
The team's focus are squarely on the upcoming World Cup playoff fixture as they prepare for learning their semifinal and possible final opponents.
After ended as runners-up in their qualifying group thanks to a commanding 7-1 victory over North Macedonia – their biggest win since 1978 – the side will host the semifinal encounter on their own turf.
They will face either Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo or Republic of Ireland in that fixture on 26 March.
Ex- Wales striker Rob Earnshaw believes the Dragons will welcome a tie against whichever team following their latest performance at Cardiff City Stadium.
"I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his approach is 'give us anyone, it doesn't matter'," Earnshaw said.
"A lot of people were asking last night, 'should we actually want Ireland because of that derby feel?'. I think many people were hesitant. But for me, that would be incredible.
"So it's one of those, indeed, we'll take the Kosovans or Bosnia and Albania are not bad and Ireland, naturally, they're a capable team so they'll be tough.
"However you just feel that we're prepared for anybody at the moment and it doesn't matter, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy."
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Wales sit 34th in the FIFA standings, with the Albanian team 61st, Ireland sixty-second, Bosnia-Herzegovina 75th and the Kosovan side 84th.
The Albanian national team enjoyed a strong qualifying run, with their only losses coming at the hands of their group winners England, who secured maximum points without allowing a single goal.
Burnley's Armando Broja and Lazio's Elseid Hysaj are part of the Albanian squad's recognizable names, although it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford forward Rey Manaj who led their scoring tally in the qualifiers with three goals.
It is worth noting, the Albanians have never earned a spot for a FIFA World Cup, although they featured at the 2016 European Championship and the 2024 Euros, failing to reach the last 16 on both occasions.
As Slovenia and Sweden had torrid runs, with both failing to win a qualification match, their group was a straight shootout between Switzerland and the Kosovan team.
The Swiss ended the six-game qualifiers 3 points clear of the Kosovans, whose single defeat was at the hands of the group winners.
The Kosovan squad feature ex- Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and La Liga's Vedat Muriqi – his nation's all-time top scorer – in a squad aiming for a first major tournament appearance.
They have never played the Welsh team.
Bosnia were defeated only one time in the qualifiers, and claimed a point additional than the Welsh managed in their 8 games, but still ended 2 points adrift of their group winners Austria.
They were 13 minutes away from clinching a place at the World Cup, but Michael Gregoritsch's equaliser for the Austrians ensured the teams drew in the last game of qualifying and Ralf Rangnick's team topped the group.
The Welsh have not managed to defeat the Bosnians in 4 attempts but did have a unforgettable defeat against the Dragons as they earned qualification for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman despite losing.
Being his country's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player, ex- Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is unquestionably Bosnia-Herzegovina's standout player.
The 39-year-old was his team's top scorer in the qualifiers with five goals.
Lastly, we have Ireland.
After taken just one point from their first 3 qualifiers, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side stormed into the play-offs with successive wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.
Troy Parrott netted the two goals against Euro 2016 winners Portugal before bagging a hat-trick – with the final goal arriving in the 96th minute – as the Irish surprised Hungary to take second spot in their group in thrilling fashion.
Talisman Seamus Coleman played a vital role in his team's revival while Premier League keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has secured the number one position his to keep.
The Republic of Ireland are without a win in their past 4 meetings with the Welsh, defeated in three of those, although James McClean broke the hearts of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.