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Wales' focus are squarely on the upcoming World Cup playoff fixture as they prepare for discovering their semifinal and potential final challengers.

After ended second in their qualifying group thanks to a decisive 7-1 triumph over North Macedonia – their biggest win since 1978 – the side will host the semifinal match on their own turf.

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

Ex- Wales striker Rob Earnshaw believes the Welsh squad will relish a tie against any opponent after their latest result at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his approach is 'give us whoever, we're ready'," Earnshaw said.

"Many people were saying last night, 'should we actually want Ireland as it's that local feel?'. In my view a number of people didn't. But for me, that could be fantastic.

"It's one of those, indeed, we're ready for the Kosovans or Bosnia and the Albanians are decent and Ireland, of course, they're a very good team so they'll be difficult.

"But the sense is that we're prepared for anybody right now and it doesn't matter, and much of that is down to Craig Bellamy."

Possible Playoff Semifinal Rivals Evaluated

The Welsh squad sit thirty-fourth in the world standings, with Albania 61st, Republic of Ireland sixty-second, Bosnia-Herzegovina 75th and the Kosovan side eighty-fourth.

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

The Premier League's Armando Broja and the Serie A side's Elseid Hysaj are part of the Albanian squad's more notable names, although it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford striker Rey Manaj who led their goal tally in qualifying with 3 goals.

Notably, Albania have never earned a spot for a FIFA World Cup, though they featured at the 2016 European Championship and Euro 2024, not managing to reach the knockout stages on each times.

While Slovenia and Sweden endured difficult runs, with each failing to win a qualifying match, their group was a straight shootout between Switzerland and the Kosovan team.

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

Kosovo feature ex- Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and La Liga's Vedat Muriqi – his country's all-time top scorer – in a team aiming for a first major tournament appearance.

They have never faced the Welsh team.

Bosnia-Herzegovina were defeated only one time in the qualifiers, and claimed a point more than the Welsh achieved in their eight games, but nonetheless finished 2 points adrift of their group winners Austria.

They were 13 minutes away from clinching a place at the finals, but Michael Gregoritsch's leveler for the Austrians meant the teams drew in the last game of qualification and Ralf Rangnick's team won the group.

The Welsh have not managed to beat the Bosnians in four attempts but did have a memorable defeat against Zmajevi as they earned qualification for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman even after losing.

Being his country's historic top goalscorer and record appearance player, ex- Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko, now at Fiorentina, is unquestionably Bosnia-Herzegovina's standout player.

The 39-year-old was his squad's top scorer in qualifying with five goals.

Lastly, we have Republic of Ireland.

Having taken only a single point from their first three 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 hat-trick – with the third goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Republic of Ireland surprised Hungary to take second place in their group in thrilling fashion.

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

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