IRELAND SECURED their World Cup qualifying play-off place with a thrilling victory over Hungary on Sunday.

But their fate remains unclear ahead of the draw on Thursday, which is due to start at approximately 12pm Irish time.

Ireland will either be a Pot 2 or Pot 3 team.

The Boys in Green would prefer Pot 2, as it will guarantee them a home semi-final and a conceivably weaker opponent, with each pot based on countries’ Uefa coefficients.

10 qualifiers take place on Tuesday evening — the final day of Uefa World Cup group campaign.

And Ireland will be particularly interested in two.

As it stands, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men are in Pot 2. And they need two results to go their way to stay there.

Simply put, if Wales do not beat North Macedonia and Bosnia fail to overcome Austria, Ireland will be in Pot 2. If Wales or Bosnia prevail, the Irish team will be consigned to Pot 3.

Wales are level on points with North Macedonia but behind them on goal difference. With Belgium expected to beat point-less Liechtenstein to confirm their status as group winners, Craig Bellamy’s men will probably be slight favourites to finish second with home advantage. 

But the North Macedonians will take encouragement from the fact that they drew the reverse fixture 1-1, and a repeat tonight would see them progress and represent good news for Ireland.

Both sides are guaranteed a play-off place regardless, based on their Nations League performance, though finishing second would ostensibly lead to an easier pathway to next summer’s tournament.

In Group H, meanwhile, Austria and Bosnia are both guaranteed at least a playoff.

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Austria currently lead the group by two points and will seal their place at the World Cup by avoiding defeat.

Bosnia, though, would pip them to a spot in the finals should they prevail.

Given that they are at home and won the reverse fixture, Ralf Rangnick’s men are expected to triumph and secure a spot at the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

So there is a half-decent chance that both results could go Ireland’s way, and Hallgrímsson’s side are confirmed as a Pot 2 team come the end of the night to complete what has been a fantastic few days for football in this country.

Irish TV viewers will be able to watch the Wales game live on Virgin Media Two — coverage begins at 7pm, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

Written by Paul Fennessy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.