The pots have been confirmed for next month’s World Cup qualifying draw in Zurich, with Republic of Ireland among the third seeds.
Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side jumped three spots in today’s updates FIFA world ranking, moving to 60th in the world, leapfrogging the manager’s previous team Jamaica, Conga DR and Burkino Faso.
However, a mixed Nations League campaign, which delivered two vital wins over Finland but also saw heavy defeats to England and home and away losses against Greece, means Ireland remain in Pot 3 for the 2026 World Cup draw, which takes place in the Swiss capital on 13 December.
Ireland are already guaranteed to be in one of the six four-team groups, due to their involvement in next March’s Nations League promotion/relegation playoffs, where they face Bulgaria over two legs.
It will be the first four-team qualifying group in which Ireland has participated since Euro 92.
In the expanded 48-team World Cup 2026, 16 will come from Europe, with the 12 group winners qualifying automatically, while the four remaining teams will be decided via a 16-team playoff involving the 12 group runners-up and the four best-ranked Nations League sides who failed to place in the top-two in their qualification group.
Pot 1: France, Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark and Austria
Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Türkiye, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Czechia and Norway
Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Israel
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia and Lithuania
Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and San Marino
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.