Italy block the qualification path for Wales and Northern Ireland when it comes to reaching the 2026 World Cup, while the Republic of Ireland will face Czechia in the play-off semi-finals. There are four more places at FIFA’s flagship event up for grabs in the UEFA section, with routes to the United States, Canada and Mexico being mapped out for all of the hopefuls.

Getty2026 World Cup play-offs: How it works

The 16 teams that are clinging to World Cup dreams are being sent down four paths. They are split into semi-finals and finals. Top seeds will be at home in the semis, while draws to identify the final hosts have also been made.

Northern Ireland have been handed a tough test against four-time World Cup winners Italy, although the Azzurri have failed to qualify for the last two staging of the finals – suffering play-off heartache against Sweden in 2018 and North Macedonia in 2022. The victor in that semi-final will face the winners of Wales’ clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Republic of Ireland, following their stunning late surge into the play-offs, will face either Denmark or North Macedonia if they successfully make it through a trip to Czechia. The Boys in Green will be at home in the final, if they make it that far, as will Wales if they can line up a date with Italy or British neighbours – with Northern Ireland looking to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

The semi-finals will take place on March 26, 2026, with the finals being held five days later on March 31.

Advertisement2026 World Cup play-off draw in full

AItaly vs Northern IrelandWales vs Bosnia-HerzegovinaWales / Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Italy / Northern IrelandBUkraine vs SwedenPoland vs AlbaniaUkraine / Sweden vs Poland / AlbaniaCTurkiye vs RomaniaSlovakia vs KosovoSlovakia / Kosovo vs Turkiye / RomaniaDDenmark vs North MacedoniaCzechia vs IrelandCzechia / Ireland vs Denmark / North MacedoniaNo fear: Wales & Ireland are ready

While Wales face a tricky task in reaching back-to-back World Cup tournaments, former striker Rob Earnshaw says they will fear nobody. He told BBC Sport: “I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his mentality is 'give us whoever, it doesn't matter’. You just feel that we'll take anybody right now and it doesn't matter, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy.”

The Republic of Ireland are feeling equally as upbeat. They stunned Portugal, who saw Cristiano Ronaldo pick up the first red card of his 226-cap international career, in Dublin before seeing Troy Parrott net a historic hat-trick away in Hungary. He completed that treble, wrapping up a dramatic 3-2 win, in the 96th minute.

Parrott, after netting five goals across two must-win games, said of his heroics: “Look, I love where I'm from. So this means the world to me. My family is here…this is the first time I've cried in years as well. It's unbelievable. Everyone's crying. I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of but tonight, I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my whole life. It really is a fairytale. You can't even dream about something like that. Honestly, I have no words to describe the emotions right now.

“Everyone wrote us off at the start of the group. But I couldn't have said it enough, that there's always a chance. And we've taken the chance. Everyone should be proud of the group of players that are over there. To go down twice and come back like that, it's beautiful.”

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AFPIntercontinental play-off draw

There are a further two World Cup berths up for grabs in the Intercontinental play-offs. They feature teams from South America, Africa, Oceania, Asia and North America.

Former England manager and Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren has stepped down as boss of Jamaica, but they remain in the hunt for tickets to the 2026 finals. They will be taking on New Caledonia – who are ranked 149 in the world – in the semis, with DR Congo waiting in the final.

On the other side of the draw, Iraq have been made aware that they will be tackling either Bolivia or Suriname for the right to grace another World Cup.

Semi-final 1: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica

Semi-final 2: Bolivia vs. Suriname

Final 1: New Caledonia or Jamaica vs. DR Congo

Final 2: Bolivia or Suriname vs. Iraq

Aston Villa are now leading the race to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Julian Brandt, who could be available for a bargain fee in the January transfer window.

Villa have been much-improved since the end of September, winning eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, having started to be much more clinical in front of goal, as showcased in the 4-0 victory against AFC Bournemouth at the weekend.

Emiliano Buendia was particularly impressive against the Cherries, receiving the Player of the Match award after opening the scoring with his third Premier League goal of the season, while the Argentinian also has two assists to his name.

UnaI Emery certainly isn’t short of top-quality options in attacking areas, and the manager will no doubt be extremely pleased that one of his key players recently put pen to paper on a new deal.

However, despite having a breadth of talent in forward areas, with Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen also getting on the scoresheet against Bournemouth, the Villans are now looking to sign a new attacking midfielder.

Aston Villa now leading race for Julian Brandt

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are now leading the race for Borussia Dortmund star Brandt, who could be in line to leave the German club in the January transfer window, given that he is yet to extend his contract beyond the end of the current campaign.

Talks over a contract extension are ongoing, but the 29-year-old is open to a move, and he is regarded as a ‘creative upgrade in midfield’ by Villa.

With the German’s contract set to expire in the summer, he could be available for a bargain fee this winter, but there could be competition, as rival Premier League sides are also in the race, alongside clubs from the Serie A and La Liga.

The Bremen-born attacking midfielder is yet to test himself outside his home country, but he has proven himself as a reliable source of goals and assists over a number of years with Dortmund and former club Bayer Leverkusen.

Julian Brandt’s attacking record

Goals

Assists

Borussia Dortmund (279 games)

50

68

Bayer Leverkusen (215 games)

42

52

Lauded as “incredible” by journalist Manuel Veth, the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man has averaged 0.47 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the top 2% of all attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

As such, Brandt clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, and he could be a solid signing for Villa, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they miss out, considering Emery already has the likes of Rogers and Buendia at his disposal.

Aston Villa fighting Arsenal and Tottenham to sign new striker Aston Villa fighting to sign Samu Aghehowa amid interest from Tottenham and Arsenal

Recent reports have indicated that Aston Villa would be keen on signing Porto forward Samu Aghehowa.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

Middlesbrough aren’t just looking at a move for Steven Gerrard, with a Championship title-winning manager also on the Riverside radar.

Gerrard among top Middlesbrough targets to replace Edwards

Boro’s search for a new manager is now officially underway after Rob Edwards’ move to Wolves was confirmed on Wednesday. Taking to social media, Edwards released a statement, saying:

Adi Viveash remains in interim charge for the time being and oversaw the club’s 2-1 win at home to Birmingham City prior to the international break, a victory which saw Boro return to the Championship automatic promotion spots.

A top two finish in 2026 will be the ask of Edwards’ permanent successor and there have already been named linked with the Riverside vacancy.

Gerrard is one who has been heavily mooted with a move to Middlesbrough in what would be his first taste as a manager in the Championship.

Out of work since January when he left Saudi Arabia and Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard is rated by Steve Gibson and is thought to find the idea of a move to the Riverside appealing.

Journalist Graeme Bailey said: “Gerrard is well liked by Boro, he has an impressive CV and would be a significant coup to land him, but it is not certain if they could put together the package to persuade him to move to the North East.”

Middlesbrough also eyeing Tony Mowbray return

According to Bailey and The Rousing Kop, Middlesbrough are also eyeing up former manager Tony Mowbray as an alternative to Gerrard.

As well as Mowbray, Alex Neil, Paul Heckingbottom, Raphael Wicky, Gary O’Neil, Robbie Keane and Mark Robins are also named as potential candidates to come in on a permanent basis.

Mowbray, who has six wins against Middlesbrough as a manager, spent three years in charge of Boro between 2010-2013 but failed to guide the club back to the Premier League.

Tony Mowbray’s record as Middlesbrough manager

Games

153

Wins

61

Draws

37

Losses

55

Points per game

1.44

Players used

66

The 61-year-old is currently out of work, with his most recent spell in the dugout coming at West Brom, where he was labelled “exceptional” by Baggies’ sporting director Andrew Nestor.

He won the Championship title during his first stint as Baggies boss back in 2008 and has even been linked with a short-term role at Southampton in recent weeks, so Mowbray’s return to the Riverside could be one to keep an eye on.

Shreyas Iyer told him he would be playing all the Punjab Kings matches this season, and that’s freed him up to bat the way he likes best

Ashish Pant12-Apr-20252:37

Jaffer: Hope to see Arya in India colours soon

Punjab Kings (PBKS) opener Priyansh Arya is your quintessential T20 cricketer. Young, uninhibited, fearless, whose instincts tell him to hit every ball out of the ground irrespective of the match situation. It’s pretty straightforward. First ball of the innings or last, if the ball is in his zone, it must be out of the ground. A simple see-ball-hit-ball approach.These instincts told him to whack the first ball he faced from Chennai Super Kings’ [CSK] Khaleel Ahmed for six over deep point. It didn’t matter that he had fallen for a golden duck three days prior to that game or that he had a single-digit score in a match before that. He saw the ball in his zone, he took his chance.But what if he had been caught in the deep? What if his instinct was wrong? Wouldn’t back-to-back golden ducks look bad on his young resume?Related

• IPL star Priyansh Arya sets sights on Ranji Trophy

• Unstoppable and unsatisfied: how Punjab Kings marched into their first IPL playoffs in 11 years

• Sehwagesque Arya puts on a show in see-ball, hit-ball batting

• Fastest hundreds in the IPL – Priyansh Arya enters top five

“Attacking batsman out [An attacking batsman always looks ugly when he gets out],” Arya says with a smile at a press interaction. “Not just me, look at every attacking batsman. I don’t think about failures, or whether this shot could get me out or not when I am batting. I just watch the ball and look to hit it.”Getting out on a zero is not a big deal, it’s a part of the game. At times, I’ll get out on a zero, but the next day, I will also score a century.”And score a century he did as he sent the CSK fielders on a leather hunt in Mullanpur. He was dropped by Khaleel second ball of the innings, and played a false shot two balls later. Even the most aggressive IPL batters might have taken a step back. Not Arya. He went again the very next ball, carving Khaleel over cover point for six. He trusted his instincts. It got him a 43-ball 102 and a Player-of-the-Match award.It’s helped that Arya has the backing of PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer.

“When I went to the [IPL team] trials and I didn’t get selected, it never affected me much, because I wasn’t consistent. I debuted for the senior team in 2021, and I was out of the team after two matches because I wasn’t performing well. Obviously, anyone would be out of the team with those performances”Priyansh Arya on the lows in his career

“I spoke to Ricky sir [after his first-ball duck] and he told me that if I get the same ball in the next match, I should hit it out of the ground. I was very confident after hearing that,” Arya says. “Shreyas also told me not to worry: ‘you will play all the 14 matches’. That calmed me down a lot. If the captain is backing me so much, I felt very confident after hearing that.”It wasn’t all about swinging away to glory, Arya also showed cricketing smarts against CSK. When R Ashwin, 14 years his senior and one of the modern-day greats, came into the attack inside the powerplay, he looked like knew that the offspinner would try and cramp him for room. On cue, Ashwin fired a length ball on the stumps that Arya duly slog-swept to the square-leg boundary. A few balls later, when Ashwin went marginally short outside off, Arya deposited him over wide long-off.Arya’s strike rate of 210.66 is the third-highest in the tournament at the moment. He has hit 11 sixes, the second-highest for PBKS behind his captain’s 14. But Arya has not always been this free-flowing six basher.Priyansh Arya’s strike rate of 210.66 is the third-highest at the moment in the tournament•Associated Press”I developed it with time. I wasn’t this bold at the start of my career when I was younger,” he says. “With time and maturity, you have to bring those changes within yourself. You can’t keep playing like you used to. The opponents are experienced enough to know your strengths and weaknesses.”Arya is just 24, but his career has already had a fair few ups and downs. He made his senior T20 debut for Delhi in 2021, but was out of the side after only two games and it took him two years to get another game. He was called up for trials by a few IPL teams, but Arya remained unsold in the 2024 player auctions. However, he was pragmatic about his snub.”When I went to the trials and I didn’t get selected, it never affected me much, because I wasn’t consistent, so the non-selection didn’t bother me,” he says. “I debuted for the senior team in 2021, and I was out of the team after two matches because I wasn’t performing well. Obviously, anyone would be out of the team with those performances.”The 2024 Delhi Premier League, however, changed everything. His six sixes in an over thrust him into the limelight and got him a place in the Delhi 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali squad, where he was Delhi’s highest run-scorer. “When DPL started, I wanted to be as consistent as possible,” Arya says. “I made runs in DPL and this time in T20s [Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy] as well and I got picked [in the IPL]. So, in my mind, I realised that consistency is key.”2:44

Is Arya’s ton the greatest IPL knock by an uncapped player?

Coming into the IPL, Arya has not changed his technique much but has worked on the mental side of things. “Everyone has the same level of preparation. But the mindset is very important. Controlling the mind is the most difficult thing. If you keep yourself calm, you can perform better.”He has also worked extensively with his childhood coach Sanjay Bharadwaj, particularly on the cuts and pulls, because “IPL ball . [In the IPL, no one will dish out slot balls]. The bowlers will hit that hard length, which makes the cuts and the pulls important shots to have.”There is no question that Arya’s approach is fraught with risk. He might fail more often than he succeeds. But with a mature head on his shoulders and the backing of his coach and captain, he will hope to leave a mark on IPL 2025. He’s started well. Now for the consistency which has brought him thus far.

Broadcast legend Mike Francesa has no shortage of legendary on-air moments.

One particular moment that has stuck in the minds of sports radio fans was his rant to caller “Dan in Warwick,” who asked Francesa if he believed the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants ever hung out together. You know, because they’re both Giants?

Francesa was not amused.

But in a recent promo for Eli Manning’s eponymous show, Francesa leaned into the bit, walking in on a few legends of both the Giants and the Giants, Manning included, as they sat down for a meal together and planned next year’s festivities for their apparent annual meet-up.

“They really do get together,” Francesa says with a smile before closing the door.

Fans loved the moment and celebrated it on social media.

The timing of the clip could not have been better, as the baseball Giants just finished up a series at Citi Field against the Mets.

While it was hardly the acting performance that Francesa put on for , it’s good to know he can play comedy too if called upon.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Bahia venceu o Fluminense por 2 a 1, pela 2ª rodada do Brasileirão, na Fonte Nova. O Time de Guerreiros abriu o placar com Germán Cano, mas os mandantes viraram com gols de Caio Alexandre e Cauly.

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➡ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Com o triunfo, o Bahia chegou a sua primeira vitória na competição e ocupa parcialmente a 8ª colocação. Por outro lado, o Fluminense segue com apenas um ponto e está na 14ª colocação.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

Na etapa inicial, Jhon Arias roubou uma bola de Santiago Arias no campo de ataque e serviu Cano, que estufou as redes com apenas três minutos de jogo. A partida foi paralisada por conta da forte chuva e do estado ruim do gramado da Fonte Nova. Na volta, o Bahia voltou pressionando, teve uma boa oportunidade com Ademir, que parou em defesa de Fábio, mas Caio Alexandre anotou um golaço em uma finalização de fora da área.

Na segunda etapa, o Bahia voltou melhor e se aproximando da virada. Aos 15 minutos, Cauly foi acionado por Jean Lucas, driblou Manoel e bateu para marcar um belo gol. Fernando Diniz tentou colocar o Fluminense mais para frente com substituições, mas que surtiram pouco efeito. Os mandantes não conseguiram aproveitar os contra-ataques devido aos espaços na defesa do Time de Guerreiros.

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📆 O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

No sábado (20), o Fluminense encara o Vasco, pela 3ª rodada do Brasileirão, no Maracanã. Por outro lado, o Bahia também tem um clássico contra o Vitória, no domingo (21), no Barradão.

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