I think we can trust the FAI to deploy careful stewardship of government funds received now Dela and PowerPoint Marc are gone
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You’d hope the FAI could capitalise on it and attract lucrative sponsorship deals and badly needed funds to develop playe…oh, nevermind
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The chance was missed though. This was an absolutely perfect storm with the nature of the Hungary win, the superstar striker with a great name and a huge long build up between Hungary and the play off. If we had won, rolled onto Tuesday at home and then got to the world cup the hype train would have been unstoppable.
It’ll never build to near that crescendo again.
surely the euros in Dublin will be huge
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Think it’s alive still, we’ll make the Euros. We’ve exceptional defenders, keepers and strikers. There’s two young strikers coming out of LOI that could be even better than the two we have now, if they can’t market that, they’re eejits.
The Irish MNT should be a juggernaut.
I kind of a feeling this guaranteed qualification or however the fuck it works will suck away all the momentum
Not guaranteed at all. England are certs but Scotland and Wales are by no means guaranteed. We’ll have to qualify ourselves i think.
NI pulling out has really upped our chances.
Assuming England are guaranteed which they are. We just need one of Scotland, Wales or ourselves to qualify. 24 teams qualify for the fucking thing.
Surely be ta god
Would you bet on Scotland and Wales qualifying? A lot of Scotland’s better player’s are shoving on, Wales couldnt beat Bosnia last night. I think we will have to qualify off our own back.
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If three of us don’t qualify we playoff is it?
Thats a good question? Do they have a draw and 2 out of 3 go through?
No, they join the usual play off route & the amount of Nations League slots that advance to the play offs is tweaked accordingly. Or something like that.
This is football country
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1. The Draw and Group Stage
The draw will take place in Belfast on Sunday, December 6, 2026.
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Group Size: Teams will be divided into 12 groups of either 4 or 5 teams.
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The “Host Separate” Rule: Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales will all be drawn into different groups to ensure they don’t knock each other out too early.
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Direct Qualification: * Group Winners: All 12 group winners qualify automatically.
- Top Runners-up: The 8 best group runners-up also qualify directly…
2. The “Safety Net” for Hosts
If Ireland fails to finish as a group winner or one of the top 8 runners-up, there is still hope via the reserved host slots.
- UEFA has set aside two automatic spots for host nations that fail to qualify through the normal group process.
- If three or four hosts fail to qualify, these two spots go to the highest-ranked hosts based on their performance in the qualifying groups.
- The Catch: If Ireland finishes last in a group of 5 while Wales or Scotland perform slightly better, Ireland could miss out even on the safety net.
3. The Nations League / Play-off Route
The remaining spots (likely 2 to 4, depending on how many host slots are used) will be decided in March 2028 via play-offs.
- These will involve the remaining group runners-up and teams based on their 2026–27 UEFA Nations League rankings.
- Ireland’s performance in the upcoming Nations League (starting late 2026) is vital as it provides a “back door” into these play-offs.
The draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League took place on February 12, 2026, and it has handed the Republic of Ireland a very interesting—and challenging—group.
Here is exactly what Ireland’s “back door” route looks like:
Ireland’s Nations League Group (League B, Group 3)
Ireland will compete in League B, which is the second tier of European football. Their opponents are:
- Austria: Historically tough opponents (Ireland haven’t beaten them since 2016).
- Israel: A team Ireland has a competitive history with, though this fixture will carry significant off-field attention.
- Kosovo: This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between the two nations.
Why this group matters for Euro 2028 - The Play-off Safety Net: If Ireland fails to qualify through the main groups (finishing outside the top 2), their Nations League ranking is their last hope. The highest-ranked group winners from the Nations League who haven’t already qualified get a guaranteed spot in the Euro 2028 Play-offs.
- Promotion to League A: If Ireland wins this group, they are promoted to the top tier (League A) for the next cycle, which significantly improves their coefficient and seeding for future tournaments.
- Ranking for the “Host Slots”: If multiple hosts (e.g., Ireland, Wales, and Scotland) all fail to qualify, UEFA uses the overall Nations League rankings to decide which two hosts get the “automatic” reserve spots. Winning matches here is vital.
The Schedule: A “Prolonged” Window
UEFA is trying something new for this edition. Instead of spreading games out over three months, they are using a “double-double” window in the autumn of 2026.
| Matchdays | Dates |
|—|—|
| Matchdays 1, 2, 3 & 4 | September 24 – October 6, 2026 |
| Matchdays 5 & 6 | November 12 – November 17, 2026 |
Note: Because 4 games are packed into that first window, squad depth will be absolutely critical for Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side.
Summary of the “Back Door” Logic
If Ireland finishes:
- 1st in Group B3: They almost certainly secure a Play-off spot (if they need it) and potentially a better claim to the “Host Reserve” slots.
- 2nd or 3rd: They must hope enough teams above them qualify directly so that the Play-off spots “trickle down” to their rank.
- 4th: They are relegated to League C and will likely lose any chance of a Play-off spot via the Nations League.
Would you like me to break down the specific venues or the current “Host Ranking” to see where Ireland stands compared to Wales and Scotland?
Well would ye like me to or not? It’s no hassle honestly
Looks like a pig of a tournament. Modern Football administrators know no bounds when it comes to ruining the formats of stories competitions.
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They haven’t beaten us since 2013?
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Sorry Im always mixing up those two years
Ah no once it starts will be great. 24 teams. 6 groups. Classic Italia 90 format. All three of our matches are at home including last 16 if we get there. I’m excited again.
Will season ticket holders get tickets or how will the cunts work it I wonder ?
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