World Cup 2026 playoffs: Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland and more – live

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Matt Dony writes in:

Wales went through a tricky period of transition. Any team in the world would suffer from the loss of Bale, but Ramsey and Allen have been big losses, too. Bellamy has been tremendous, much better than I expected, and he’s galvanised them into a real ‘team’ again. The 7-1 against North Macedonia in the last game was magnificent, but sadly overshadowed by Scotland turning into prime Brazil on the same night. I honestly don’t think they’ll end up qualifying for the World Cup, which is disappointing, but I think the next few years could be fun.

Well, they’re really going for it at the moment. Harry Wilson, in the 40th minute, tries to catch the keeper out with a free-kick from the right, forcing a decent save at the near post.

GOAL! Slovakia 1-1 Kosovo (Hodza 21)

After all the carnage at the Fortuna Arena, let’s go to Bratislava, where Kosovo have equalised. Velin Hodza, from the edge of the area, curls a first-time shot into the bottom left corner.

Veldin Hodza equalises for Kosovo! Photograph: Dénes Erdős/AP

It’s a clear tug of the shirt in the area by Manning, a needless foul, and the hosts have a lifeline. Patrik Schick beats Kelleher and we’ve got a proper game.

GOAL! Czech Republic 1-2 Republic of Ireland (Schick pen 27)

Well, this is just wild.

Game on! Photograph: Filip Singer/EPA

It’s a corner from the right for Ireland, delivered by Manning … O’Shea heads it into the mixer from the back post – Coufal’s defensive header finds the bar and rebounds off the keeper into the net. Pinball goes Ireland’s way. The visiting bench erupts in joy.

GOAL! Czech Republic 0-2 Republic of Ireland (Kovar og 23)

Another one!

Ireland are in dream land! Photograph: David W Černý/Reuters

A kick on Nathan Collins prompts the referee to head to the monitor. He awards the spotkick and Troy Parrott finds the left despite the keeper guessing the right way.

GOAL! Czech Republic 0-1 Republic of Ireland (Parrott 19 pen)

It’s that man again!

Troy Parrott fires home and Ireland lead in Prague! Photograph: Sebastian Widmann/UEFA/Getty Images

Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina: David Brooks bursts through in the area to win a corner … Wilson drives the ball to the far post, Jordan James heads into the mixer but Bosnia-Herzegovina handle the danger.

GOAL! Slovakia 1-0 Kosovo (Valjent 6)

Slovakia, bidding for their first World Cup appearance since 2010, take an early lead through Mallorca’s Martin Valjent. The free-kick comes from the right, and the centre-back rises for a powerful header.

Martin Valjent scores for Slovakia. Photograph: Radovan Stoklasa/Reuters

GOAL! Ukraine 0-1 Sweden (Gyökeres 6)

The Arsenal striker taps in! Anthony Elanga slips the ball for Benjamin Nygren inside the area, and his ball across goal is perfect. Gyökeres just needs to get a touch before getting his hands up for that trademark celebration. Graham Potter’s boys have the perfect start.

Big Vik pokes home and Sweden lead. Photograph: Joel Marklund/BILDBYRÅN/Shutterstock

Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina: The hosts have an early free-kick on the right, with Harry Wilson over it … it’s flicked on at the near post but doesn’t pose any problems for Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dan James is looking lively already for Wales.

Peeeep!

We’re up and running across Europe.

Ben Davies, missing for Wales due to injury, is presented with a golden cap to mark his 100 appearances for the national team.

Bob Walnut has sent me his Saipan review on Letterboxd: three and a half stars. “Far more abstract and arty than I was expecting.” It goes on my list.

There’s a light show on at Cardiff City Stadium as we get ready for kick-off. Ethan Ampadu leads Wales out and Edin Dzeko – still going, banging them in for Schalke – is the frontman for Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Troy Parrott has kept firing at club level since his heroics in November, that five-goal spree against Portugal and Hungary to get Ireland here. He’s got 28 club goals for AZ Alkmaar this season, half of them in the Eredivisie.

This is how things are set up for Tuesday:

• Wales/Bosnia-Herzegovina v Italy/Northern Ireland

• Ukraine/Sweden v Poland/Albania

• Slovakia/Kosovo v Turkey

• Czech Republic/Republic of Ireland v Denmark/North Macedonia

As we prepare for Czech Republic against the Republic of Ireland … can anyone tell me whether Saipan is worth a watch?

Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina teams

Wales: Darlow, Williams, Lawlor, Rodon, Dasilva, Ampadu, Jordan James, Brooks, Wilson, Daniel James, Johnson

Subs: Ward, King, Koumas, Cullen, Cabango, Norrington-Davies, Kpakio, Colwill, Harris, Thomas, Sheehan, Broadhead

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Vasilj, Muharemovic, Katic, Kolasinac, Memic, Tahirovic, Bajraktarevic, Sunjic, Dedic, Dzeko, Demirovic

Subs: Hadzikic, Zlomislic, Mujakic, Celik, Gigovic, Bazdar, Basic, Hadziahmetovic, Burnic, Alajbegovic, Radeljic, Tabakovic

FULL-TIME: Turkey 1-0 Romania

Turkey’s last World Cup appearance? When they finished third in 2002. They’ll face the winner of Slovakia v Kosovo on Tuesday.

Turkey progress to the play-off final. Photograph: Yasin Akgül/AFP/Getty Images

Slovakia v Kosovo teams

Slovakia: Dubravka, Valjent, Vavro, Obert, Hancko, Bero, Lobotka, Duda, Sauer, Strelec, Haraslin

Subs: Rodak, Takac, Pekarik, Gyomber, Suslov, Mraz, Benes, Tupta, Hrosovsky, Krcik, Rigo, Kapralik

Kosovo: Muric, Dellova, Hajrizi, Hajdari, Gallapeni, Vojvoda, Hodza, Rexhbecaj, Muslija, Asllani, Muriqi

Subs: Bekaj, Saipi, Hadergjonaj, Aliti, Ilir Krasniqi, Rashica, Rrahmani, Berisha, Ermal Krasniqi, Emerllahu, Zabergja, Zhegrova

Denmark v North Macedonia teams

Denmark: Hermansen, Bah, Nørgaard, Nelsson, Mæhle, Højbjerg, Hjulmand, Froholdt, Isaksen, Højlund, Damsgaard

Subs: Jungdal, Rønnow, Provstgaard, Høgsberg, Nikolas Nartey, Eriksen, Osula, Lindstrøm, Høgh, Noah Nartey, Dreyer, Jensen

North Macedonia: Dimitrievski, Stojchevski, Zajkov, Musliu, Churlinov, Elmas, Atanasov, Bardhi, Herrera, Qamili, Rastoder

Subs: Iliev, Shishkovski, Bejtulai, Serafimov, Trajkovski, Musovski, Velkovski, Nikolov, Doriev, Ristovski, Miovski, Alimi

Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland teams

Czech Republic: Kovar, Holes, Hranac, Krejci, Coufal, Provod, Darida, Jurasek, Schick, Chory, Sulc

Subs: Hornicek, Jedlicka, Chaloupek, Vitik, Karabec, Kliment, Cerv, Chytil, Sadilek, Zeleny, Visinsky, Soucek

Republic of Ireland: Kelleher, O’Brien, Collins, O’Shea, Coleman, Taylor, Molumby, Manning, Azaz, Ogbene, Parrott

Subs: Keeley, Travers, Kenny, Idah, Brady, Dunne, Vale, Egan, Knight, Browne, Abankwah, Szmodics

Ukraine v Sweden teams

Ukraine: Trubin, Tymchyk, Zabarnyi, Bondar, Mykolenko, Kaliuzhnyi, Tsygankov, Yarmoliuk, Sudakov, Zubkov, Vanat

Subs: Neshcheret, Riznyk, Sarapii, Mykhailichenko, Svatok, Voloshyn, Hutsuliak, Pikhalonok, Yaremchuk, Shaparenko, Ponomarenko, Ocheretko

Sweden: Nordfeldt, Lagerbielke, Hien, Lindelöf, Gudmundsson, Johansson, Ayari, Karlström, Nygren, Elanga, Gyökeres

Subs: Törnqvist, Ellborg, Bergvall, Svensson, Nilsson, Smith, Bardghji, Starfelt, Svanberg, Larsson, Ali, Zeneli

Poland v Albania teams

Poland: Grabara, Kedziora, Bednarek, Kiwior, Cash, Szymanski, Zielinski, Skoras, Kaminski, Lewandowski, Rozga

Subs: Pietuszewski, Ziolkowski, Wisniewski, Slisz, Pyrka, Swiderski, Piatek, Kochalski, Moder, Bereszynski, Grosicki, Dragowski

Albania: Strakosha, Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj, Laci, Asilani, Bajrami, Shehu, Uzuni, Hoxha

Subs: Ramadani, Pllana, Pilo, Pajaziti, Muci, Mehmeti, Kastrati, Ismajli, Dajsinani, Broja, Balliu, Aliji

“Do you know why I’m so calm? Because we’re such a good team.” Craig Bellamy never made it to a major tournament with Wales as a player – can he do it as the head coach?

GOAL! Turkey 1-0 Romania (Kadioglu 53)

We have our first of the night. Arda Guler is the creator for Turkey, cutting in from the right to whip a delicious ball into the area. Ferdi Kadioglu, the left-back, makes an excellent run and pulls off an even better first touch before slotting in through the keeper’s legs.

Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu puts Turkey in front against Romania. Photograph: Alexandra Fechete/SPP/Shutterstock

Turkey v Romania: The second half is underway in Istanbul, the game still goalless. Mircea Lucescu, who captained Romania against Brazil in 1970, is still in the hunt for another World Cup appearance. What a life.

Rob Smyth’s preview on Football Daily is the best out there.

Preamble

Get all your screens up and try not to strain that neck – it’s World Cup playoff time. Sixteen teams are competing for the four remaining European spots at this summer’s tournament, with tonight’s eight semi-finals followed by the last dance next Tuesday. Feast your eyes on this:

• Turkey v Romania

• Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland

• Denmark v North Macedonia

• Italy v Northern Ireland

• Poland v Albania

• Slovakia v Kosovo

• Ukraine v Sweden

• Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina

Scott Murray has the Italy-Northern Ireland clash covered, but the rest falls under my jurisdiction. Can the Republic of Ireland continue their remarkable resurgence and end their 24-year wait? North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo have never made it to the biggest show. Graham Potter’s Sweden are here despite not winning a game in qualifying. Edin Dzeko, 40 years young, is still ticking along for Bosnia-Herzegovina. There’s plenty to get stuck into.

Turkey have already kicked off against Romania, with the remaining fixtures beginning at 7.45pm GMT. Let’s go.

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