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Wales' attention are firmly on the upcoming World Cup play-off draw as they prepare for learning their semi-final and possible final challengers.

Having ended second in their qualifying pool following a commanding 7-1 triumph over North Macedonia – their biggest win since 1978 – the side will play the semi-final match on their own turf.

They will meet either Albania, Bosnia, the Kosovan team or Republic of Ireland in that fixture on 26 March.

Ex- Wales striker Rob Earnshaw thinks the Welsh squad will welcome a match against whichever team after their most recent performance at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I know Craig Bellamy, we were teammates with him and his mentality is 'bring on whoever, it doesn't matter'," Earnshaw commented.

"Many fans were saying last night, 'do we really want Republic of Ireland because of that derby atmosphere?'. I think a number of supporters were hesitant. But for me, that could be amazing.

"It's that type of situation, indeed, we're ready for Kosovo or the Bosnians and Albania are not bad and Republic of Ireland, of course, they're a strong team so it will be challenging.

"But the sense is that we're prepared for anybody right now and we're confident, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy."

Potential Playoff Semi-final Opponents Evaluated

The Welsh squad are placed thirty-fourth in the world standings, with Albania sixty-first, Ireland 62nd, Bosnia-Herzegovina 75th and the Kosovan side eighty-fourth.

The Albanian national team had a strong qualification run, with their sole losses suffered at the hands of Group K winners England, who secured maximum points without allowing a solitary goal.

Burnley's Armando Broja and Lazio's Elseid Hysaj are part of the Red and Blacks's prominent players, though it was ex- Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford striker Rey Manaj who led their goal tally in the qualifiers with three goals.

Notably, the Albanians have not yet earned a spot for a World Cup, though they featured at Euro 2016 and Euro 2024, not managing to advance to the last 16 on both times.

As Slovenia and Sweden had torrid runs, with both failing to win a qualification match, their group was a straight shootout between Switzerland and the Kosovan team.

The Swiss finished the six-game campaign three points ahead of Kosovo, whose single defeat came at the hands of the group winners.

Kosovo feature former Manchester City goalkeeper Arijanet Muric and La Liga's Vedat Muriqi – his country's all-time leading goalscorer – in a squad targeting a first major tournament appearance.

They have not yet faced Wales.

Bosnia-Herzegovina were defeated only one time in qualifying, and claimed a point additional than Wales achieved in their 8 games, but nonetheless finished 2 points adrift of Group H winners Austria.

They were a quarter of an hour away from securing a spot at the finals, but Michael Gregoritsch's leveler for the Austrians ensured the pair drew in the last game of qualifying and Ralf Rangnick's team topped the group.

Wales have failed to beat the Bosnians in 4 matches but did have a unforgettable defeat against Zmajevi as they qualified for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman despite losing.

As his nation's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player, former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is unquestionably Bosnia-Herzegovina's key player.

The 39-year-old was his squad's leading goalscorer in the qualifiers with five goals.

And finally, we have Ireland.

After taken just one point from their opening three qualifiers, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side stormed into the playoffs with back-to-back wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.

Troy Parrott scored both goals against the 2016 European Championship winners Portugal before bagging a hat-trick – with the final goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Republic of Ireland surprised Hungary to take runner-up place in Group F in dramatic style.

Talisman Seamus Coleman played a crucial role in his team's resurgence while Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has made the starting jersey his own.

Ireland are without a win in their past 4 meetings with the Welsh, losing three of these, although James McClean broke the hopes of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifying match at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.