ZURIGO (SVIZZERA) (ITALPRESS) – Northern Ireland will be the lawyer of Italy of Gattuso in the first round of European play-offs for the World Cup of 2026. It is as determined by the draw made today in Zurich. The game will be played on March 26, with the blues that will count on the field factor. Northern Ireland is an old and unlucky knowledge for Italy, which in December 1957 collapsed in Belfast losing the train to the World Championship in Sweden and then in 2021 did 0-0 in the group, which in fact sent the blue to the play-offs lost then with Macedonia. The North-Irish national team finished third behind Germany and Slovakia with 9 points in six games and was repeated for play-offs thanks to the path in Nations League.
The blues have been inserted in the A route and, in case of victory against Northern Ireland, the World Championship pass would go to play against the winner of the match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The playoff final will be held on 31 March in Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The route B will address Ukraine-Sweden and Poland-Albania, on the route C Turkey-Romania and Slovakia-Kosovo. On the D route Denmark will host North Macedonia while the Czech Republic will face Ireland. Four places will be assigned in total.
THE WORDS OF GATTUS AND OTHER REACTIONS
PLAY-OFF EUROPEI, IL TABELLONE
The 12 second – distributed in three bands according to the Fifa ranking – and the 4 teams repeated via Nations League were drawn in 4 different routes. Semifinals (March 26) and finals (March 31) in single race. In the case of an equal 90′, two additional times will be played from 15 minutes each and, if the parity persists, the penalty will be decided.
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SEMIFINAL
ITALY – Northern Ireland Wales – Bosnia and Herzegovina
FINALE winning Wales-Bosnia and Herzegovina/winning ITALY-Ireland North
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SEMIFINAL Ukraine – Sweden Poland – Albania
FINAL winning Ukraine-Sweden / winning Poland-Albania
C
SEMIFINAL Turkey – Romania Slovakia – Kosovo
FINAL winning Slovakia-Kosovo/Turkey-Romania
D
SEMIFINAL Denmark – North Macedonia Rep.Ceca – Ireland
FINALE Winner Rep.Ceca-Ireland / Winner Denmark-North Macedonia
PLAY-OFF INTERCONTINENTALI, GLI ACCOPPIAMENTI
The intercontinental playoffs will also be supported in Zurich, which will allocate two seats to the 2026 World Cup. The matches will be played between 23 and 31 March in Guadalajara and Monterrey – among the designated locations of the next World Cup – with the calendar that will be defined later.
SEMIFINAL
New Caledonia – Jamaica
Bolivia – Suriname
FINAL
RD Congo – winning New Caledonia-Giamaica
Iraq – winning Bolivia-Suriname
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
