There are eight semi-finals to take place Before the final of each pathway,. There is some early value to be had picking winners, too.
| World Cup play-off picks | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ireland to beat Czech Republic | 3.80 |
| Poland to beat Albania | 1.75 |
| Sweden to beat Ukraine | 2.50 |
| Wales to beat Bosnia | 2.05 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
World Cup play-offs lie ahead
16 different European nations will face off on March 26th as they try to take a step closer to the global footballing showpiece. Those 16 will be reduced to eight, and a few days later, eight will become four. Those final four sides will, after leaping the last hurdle, finally secure their spot in America, Canada, and Mexico.
Some teams are more likely to succeed than others, but the drama in recent fixtures suggests that the following outcomes are not guaranteed. Currently, four teams that have the best chances of making it past the semi-finals in a few months.
Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland
These two teams have reached this stage in very different ways. The Czech Republic finished second in Group L, four points clear of their opponents, and ended with a 6-0 dominant victory over Gibraltar. The Republic of Ireland, meanwhile, secured their place with a winning goal from Troy Parrott in the 96th minute.
On paper, the Czechs should be winning this - they’re ranked higher internationally and have home advantage. However, after their victory over Portugal and considering the way they qualified against Hungary, the Irish are likely to cause an upset. The Faroe Islands managed to surprise Czechia back in June, and Heimir Hallgrímsson will believe his men can achieve a similar result in March.
- Ireland to beat Czech Republic at odds of 3.80 with Betway
Poland vs Albania
Poland had a strong performance during World Cup qualifying, finishing only three points behind the Netherlands in Group G. They suffered just one defeat and held the Dutch to a draw twice. Robert Lewandowski is back in scoring form for his country, which is a major boost.
As for Albania, they achieved a surprise result by reaching this stage, so their presence here is an achievement in itself. Their big win over Serbia in October was crucial, and their only two defeats came against England. However, in Poland, Jan Urban’s side will likely have enough quality to end their hopes of reaching America.
- Poland to beat Albania at odds of 1.75 with Betway
Ukraine vs Sweden
Sweden should be the favourites for this match, given the quality of their players, but a disastrous qualifying campaign is a disadvantage for them. Now that Graham Potter has some time to improve the team, they’ll be eager for better results. They failed to win a single game in Group B, but have this chance due to their Nations League efforts.
Their opponents, Ukraine, achieved some good results in their qualifying campaign, though they were always going to struggle to finish ahead of France. The Swedes need to significantly improve their performance if they’re going to get the job done, and they are likely to do so. If Potter can get Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres to score goals, then they’ll have a big chance of winning.
- Sweden to beat Ukraine at odds of 2.50 with Betway
Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Craig Bellamy’s Wales are another that finished their qualifying campaign strongly to book their place in the play-offs. They finished only two points behind Belgium in Group J, with the same number of wins. A dominant 7-1 victory of North Macedonia in the final game kept their hopes alive.
They’ll face a difficult challenge against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have only lost once in their WCQ group. However, Cymru have home advantage, and that will be a significant factor as they enter this match. With their current level of confidence, the Dragons could achieve another victory in Cardiff.
- Wales to beat Bosnia at odds of 2.05 with Betway