Drawing the Fates: How Seeding Pots Shaped the Difficult Routes for Home Nations

The dramatic World Cup playoff draw was heavily influenced by the seeding pots, which ultimately dictated the difficult routes for Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, confirming the semi-final pairings and final hosting rights.
Wales was a mid-level seed, placing them in a position to host a semi-final against Bosnia & Herzegovina and, critically, securing home advantage for the final over higher-ranked teams like Italy.
The Republic of Ireland, a lower seed, was drawn to play their semi-final away in Prague against the Czech Republic. However, the luck of the draw ensured that if they win, they will host the final, providing a major strategic benefit.
Northern Ireland, one of the lowest-ranked teams in the draw, was guaranteed to play their semi-final away, landing the toughest opponent, Italy, and also facing an away final in the unlikely event of an upset.
The outcome of the draw, with semi-finals on March 26 and finals on March 31, confirms that while seedings influenced the pairings, every team now faces a true knockout test.