The Republic of Ireland have secured their place in the World Cup play-offs after a dramatic 3-2 win over Hungary in Budapest
The Republic of Ireland have secured their spot in the World Cup play-offs following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hungary in Budapest.
Troy Parrott emerged as the hero of the night, netting a hat-trick, with his third goal coming in added time at the Puskas Arena, enabling the Boys in Green to triumph over Hungary.
This result places Ireland second in Group F, with Portugal leading the group after their 9-1 victory against Armenia.
Here’s what you need to know about the World Cup play-offs:.
When is the World Cup play-off draw?
The World Cup play-off draw is set for Thursday, 20 November.
What time will the draw take place?
The draw is slated for 12pm UK time.
How does the draw work?
The play-offs will comprise the 12 European teams who finished second in the group stages, along with four teams from the Nations League that didn’t secure a top two position in their World Cup qualifying group.
These 16 teams will then be divided into semi-finals and finals, spread across four pots.
It seems likely that Ireland will be in either Pot 2 or 3, depending on which other teams qualify for the playoffs.
Teams in Pot 1 will face off against teams in Pot 4, which consists of the teams that qualified for the play-offs via the Nations League. Those in Pot 2 will host teams from Pot 3.
When will the play-offs take place?
The playoffs are scheduled for next March, with the semi-finals set to be played on 26 March and the finals five days later on 31 March.
Which countries could Ireland potentially face?
Italy, Turkey, Poland and Ukraine are expected to be in Pot 1, which could see them pitted against Northern Ireland, Sweden, Romania or North Macedonia.
Wales, Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo are all potential opponents for the Republic of Ireland. However, this won’t be confirmed until all qualifying groups have been completed.
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