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Wales' sights are squarely on Thursday's World Cup play-off draw as they prepare for learning their semi-final and possible final opponents.

After ended as runners-up in their qualification pool following a decisive 7-1 victory over North Macedonia – their biggest win since 1978 – the side will play the semi-final encounter on home soil.

They will face either the Albanian side, Bosnia, the Kosovan team or Republic of Ireland in that match on 26 March.

Former Wales forward Rob Earnshaw thinks the Welsh squad will relish a tie against any team after their most recent performance at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I know Craig Bellamy, I played with him and his mentality is 'give us anyone, it doesn't matter'," Earnshaw commented.

"Many people were wondering recently, 'should we actually want Ireland as it's that local feel?'. In my view a number of people were hesitant. But personally, that could be incredible.

"It's one of those, indeed, we'll take the Kosovans or the Bosnians and Albania are competitive and Republic of Ireland, naturally, they are a capable team so it will be difficult.

"However you just feel that we're prepared for anyone right now and we're confident, and a lot of that is because of Craig Bellamy."

Potential Playoff Semifinal Opponents Evaluated

The Welsh squad sit 34th in the FIFA standings, with the Albanian team sixty-first, Republic of Ireland sixty-second, Bosnia-Herzegovina seventy-fifth and the Kosovan side eighty-fourth.

The Albanian national team enjoyed a impressive qualification run, with their only defeats suffered at the hands of their group winners England, who claimed maximum points without conceding a solitary goal.

Burnley's Armando Broja and the Serie A side's Elseid Hysaj are among the Red and Blacks's recognizable names, although it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford striker Rey Manaj who led their scoring tally in the qualifiers with three goals.

Importantly, Albania have never earned a spot for a FIFA World Cup, though they featured at Euro 2016 and Euro 2024, failing to advance to the last 16 on each times.

As Slovenia and Sweden endured poor campaigns, with each not managing to win a qualification match, their group was a straight shootout between Switzerland and the Kosovan team.

The Swiss ended the six-match qualifiers three points ahead of the Kosovans, whose one defeat was at the hands of the pool winners.

Kosovo include former Manchester City keeper Arijanet Muric and La Liga's Vedat Muriqi – his country's all-time top scorer – in a squad aiming for a maiden international competition appearance.

They have not yet played Wales.

Bosnia-Herzegovina lost only one time in the qualifiers, and earned a points additional than Wales achieved in their eight games, but nonetheless ended two points behind 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 ensured the teams drew in the last game of qualification and Ralf Rangnick's team won the pool.

The Welsh have not managed to beat the Bosnian side in 4 attempts but did have a unforgettable defeat against Zmajevi as they qualified for Euro 2016 under Chris Coleman despite the defeat.

Being his country's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, ex- Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is unquestionably Bosnia-Herzegovina's key player.

The 39-year-old was his team's leading goalscorer in the qualifiers with 5 goals.

Lastly, we have Republic of Ireland.

After secured only a single point from their first 3 matches, 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 final goal arriving in the 96th minute – as the Irish stunned Hungary to secure runner-up place in their group in thrilling fashion.

Key player Seamus Coleman had a crucial role in his side's resurgence while Premier League goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has secured the number one jersey his own.

The Republic of Ireland are winless in their last 4 encounters with the Welsh, losing three of these, although James McClean broke the hearts of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifying match at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.