Wales Set to Face Anyone in FIFA World Cup Playoff Fixture
Wales have won eight of their previous sixteen matches under manager Craig Bellamy
The team's focus are firmly on the upcoming World Cup play-off fixture as they await learning their semi-final and possible final rivals.
Having ended as runners-up in their qualifying pool following a dominant 7-1 victory over North Macedonia – their biggest win since 1978 – Wales will host the semifinal match on home soil.
They will face either the Albanian side, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Kosovan team or Ireland in that match on 26 March.
Ex- Wales forward Rob Earnshaw believes the Dragons will welcome a tie against any opponent after their latest result at Cardiff City Stadium.
"I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his mindset is 'give us whoever, we're ready'," Earnshaw commented.
"Many supporters were wondering recently, 'do we actually want Ireland as it's that local feel?'. I think a number of people were hesitant. But personally, that would be amazing.
"So it's one of those, yes, we'll take the Kosovans or the Bosnians and Albania are competitive and Republic of Ireland, of course, they are a very good team so they'll be tough.
"However you just feel that we're prepared for anyone at the moment and we're confident, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy."
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The Welsh squad sit 34th in the FIFA rankings, with the Albanian team 61st, Ireland sixty-second, Bosnia-Herzegovina 75th and Kosovo 84th.
The Albanian national team enjoyed a strong qualifying campaign, with their sole defeats suffered at the hands of their group winners England, who claimed maximum points without conceding a solitary goal.
The Premier League's Armando Broja and the Serie A side's Elseid Hysaj are part of the Red and Blacks's prominent players, although it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford striker Rey Manaj who topped their scoring tally in qualifying with 3 goals.
Importantly, the Albanians have not yet qualified for a World Cup, though they featured at Euro 2016 and Euro 2024, failing to advance to the knockout stages on each times.
While Slovenia and Sweden had torrid runs, with both failing to win a qualifying match, their group was a straight shootout between Switzerland and Kosovo.
The Switzerland finished the six-match campaign 3 points ahead of Kosovo, whose one defeat was at the hands of the group winners.
The Kosovan squad include former Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi – his nation's historic leading goalscorer – in a squad targeting a first major tournament appearance.
They have not yet faced Wales.
Bosnia lost just once in qualifying, and earned a point more than the Welsh achieved in their eight games, but still finished 2 points behind of Group H winners Austria.
They were 13 minutes away from clinching a place at the finals, but Michael Gregoritsch's leveler for the Austrians ensured the teams drew in the last game of qualification and Ralf Rangnick's team topped the group.
Wales have failed to defeat the Bosnian side in 4 matches but did have a unforgettable defeat against Zmajevi as they earned qualification for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman despite losing.
As his nation's all-time top goalscorer and record appearance player, former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is undoubtedly Bosnia's star player.
The 39-year-old was his team's top scorer in the qualifiers with 5 goals.
And finally, we have Republic of Ireland.
Having secured only a single point from their first 3 qualifiers, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side surged into the play-offs with successive wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.
Troy Parrott netted both goals against Euro 2016 winners Portugal before bagging a triple – with the third goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Irish surprised Hungary to secure runner-up place in Group F in thrilling fashion.
Talisman Seamus Coleman had a crucial role in his team's resurgence while Premier League keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has secured the number one jersey his own.
Ireland are without a win in their past four encounters with the Welsh, losing 3 of these, although James McClean shattered the hearts of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.