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

Having finished second in their qualification pool thanks to a commanding 7-1 victory over North Macedonia – their largest success since 1978 – Wales will play the semifinal match on their own turf.

They will meet either Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo or Republic of Ireland in that match on 26 March.

Former Wales striker Rob Earnshaw believes the Dragons will embrace a tie against any opponent following their most recent result at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his mindset is 'bring on whoever, it doesn't matter'," Earnshaw stated.

"Many people were asking recently, 'do we actually want Republic of Ireland as it's that local feel?'. In my view a number of people didn't. But personally, that could be amazing.

"It's that type of situation, yes, we'll take the Kosovans or Bosnia and Albania are decent and Ireland, naturally, they are a capable team so they'll be tough.

"However you just feel that we'll take anybody right now and it doesn't matter, and much of that is because of Craig Bellamy."

Potential Playoff Semi-final Rivals Evaluated

The Welsh squad are placed thirty-fourth in the world standings, with the Albanian team sixty-first, Ireland 62nd, Bosnia 75th and Kosovo eighty-fourth.

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

Burnley's Armando Broja and the Serie A side's Elseid Hysaj are part of the Red and Blacks's prominent players, though it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford forward Rey Manaj who topped their scoring tally in the qualifiers with 3 goals.

It is worth noting, the Albanians have not yet qualified for a World Cup, although they participated at the 2016 European Championship and Euro 2024, failing to advance to the knockout stages on each occasions.

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

The Switzerland finished the six-game campaign 3 points clear of Kosovo, whose single defeat came at the hands of the group winners.

The Kosovan squad feature former Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi – his nation's all-time top scorer – in a squad aiming for a first international competition appearance.

They have not yet faced the Welsh team.

Bosnia-Herzegovina were defeated just once in qualifying, and earned a point additional than the Welsh managed in their 8 games, but nonetheless finished two points behind of their group winners Austria.

They were a quarter of an hour away from clinching a spot at the World Cup, but Michael Gregoritsch's equaliser for the Austrians ensured the teams tied in the final game of qualifying and Ralf Rangnick's team won the pool.

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

Being his country's historic leading scorer and record appearance player, former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is undoubtedly Bosnia-Herzegovina's standout player.

The veteran was his team's top scorer in the qualifiers with five goals.

Lastly, we have Republic of Ireland.

Having secured just one point from their opening 3 qualifiers, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side surged into the playoffs with back-to-back wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.

Troy Parrott netted both goals against the 2016 European Championship winners Portugal before scoring a triple – with the third goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Irish stunned Hungary to take second place in their group in thrilling fashion.

Talisman Seamus Coleman played a vital role in his team's resurgence while Premier League keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has made the number one jersey his to keep.

Ireland are without a win in their past 4 encounters with the Welsh, defeated in 3 of those, although James McClean broke the hearts of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.