Wales and Northern Ireland face crucial World Cup play-off semi-finals
Wales and Northern Ireland are among the nations beginning their final push for 2026 World Cup qualification as the crucial play-off semi-finals commence on 26 March.
The updated qualification format consists of six separate pathways across European and inter-confederation routes.
To secure a ticket to the expanded 48-team summer tournament, competing countries must navigate a semi-final before winning their respective pathway final on 31 March.
Home nations face tough European tests
The Welsh national side will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff for their Pathway A semi-final at 19:45 GMT.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland face a daunting trip to Bergamo to play four-time world champions Italy at the exact same time.
Elsewhere in the European bracket, the Republic of Ireland travel to Prague to take on the Czech Republic in Pathway D.
Domestic fans can watch the crucial Welsh tie across BBC One Wales and BBC Two, while the Northern Irish fixture will be broadcast on BBC One NI and BBC Three.
Neutral venues and global pathways
War-torn Ukraine are forced to host Sweden in a neutral venue, with their Pathway B clash taking place in Valencia, Spain.
Other notable UEFA fixtures include Poland welcoming Albania to Warsaw and Turkey hosting Romania in a fiery Istanbul encounter.
Beyond the continent, the inter-confederation route will see nations battle it out in Mexico for the remaining global spots.
Jamaica will play New Caledonia at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara during the early hours of Friday morning for UK viewers.
The victor of that tie advances to face a rested, seeded Democratic Republic of Congo side in the Pathway 1 final.
How to watch the remaining action
Viewers wanting to follow the non-televised European fixtures can access them via Amazon Prime Video’s pay-per-view hub.
The inter-confederation ladder matches will be entirely free to watch for British fans.
The official FIFA+ streaming app and the governing body’s YouTube channel will broadcast those late-night Mexican encounters live.
