Wales coach Rhian Wilkinson urges courage ahead of World Cup play-offs in 2026

Wales face tough World Cup play-offs in 2026, needing to overcome Albania and possibly Norway to reach Brazil 2027.

Wales play-off path to Brazil 2027 Wales must win two consecutive two-legged play-off ties to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. First, they face Albania in a home-and-away tie starting on October 9, followed by either Norway or Romania if they progress. Wales topped League B Group 1 in qualifying, finishing ahead of the Czech Republic. The first leg against Albania will be played away, with the return leg in Wales on October 13. ## Potential Norway clash in play-offs If Wales overcome Albania, they could face Norway in the second round, a team currently ranked 14th in the world. Norway finished second in their qualifying group behind Germany. Wales last met Norway in Euro 2022 qualifiers, losing both home and away matches. Wilkinson described a potential clash with Norway as an 'incredible challenge' but one that must be embraced with confidence. ## Wilkinson calls for courage over fear Rhian Wilkinson stressed that Wales must show courage rather than fear in the play-offs to reach their first World Cup. She stated that the team needs to confidently face higher-ranked opponents and deliver strong performances. 'If we want to be a side that makes major tournaments, then we have to be able to confidently show up against teams ranked higher than us and know that we're going to put in a strong performance,' she said. Wilkinson added, 'Norway would be an incredible challenge, but a wonderful challenge. We can't be frightened of not showing up and giving everything. I'd like to take a more courageous stance, and I hope they (the players) follow me with it.' ## Lessons learned from Euro 2025 Wales struggled in Euro 2025, facing strong teams like Netherlands, France, and England without making a significant impact. Wilkinson reflected on the tournament, saying, 'I think we all learned a lot through the Euros - myself, my staff, the players.' She admitted that coaching decisions could have been different and acknowledged the pressure and stress of major tournaments. Wilkinson also highlighted competitive performances in the Nations League, including draws against Sweden and tight contests against top nations. ## Wales aim to improve away form Wales dominated at home in qualifying, scoring six against Montenegro, four against Albania, and three against the Czech Republic. However, their away form was inconsistent, with a draw in the Czech Republic, a narrow win in Albania, and a shock draw in Montenegro. Wilkinson noted that the play-offs against Albania present an opportunity to improve away performances. 'It was obvious from our campaign that our away form wasn't what we wanted it to be. There's definitely some work to be done away from home,' she said. ## Historic chance to beat top-20 side If Wales reach the second round, they may need to defeat a top-20 ranked team for the first time in a competitive fixture to qualify for the World Cup. The potential opponents include Norway at 14th or Romania. Wales last faced Norway in Euro 2022 qualifiers, losing both matches. Wilkinson aims to guide Wales to their second major tournament, having already led them to their first in 2025. ## Full play-off draw breakdown | Play-off tie | Match 1 | Match 2 | |----------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| | 1 | Kazakhstan | Republic of Ireland | | | 2 | Czech Republic | Scotland | | | 3 | Northern Ireland | Portugal | | | 4 | Slovakia or Ukraine | Greece or England | | | 5 | Finland or Serbia | Belarus or Italy | | | 6 | Northern Ireland or Portugal | Croatia or Iceland | | | 7 | Albania or Wales | Romania or Norway | | | 8 | Israel or Switzerland | Kosovo or Austria | | | 9 | Czech Republic or Scotland | Lithuania or Sweden | | | 10 | Belgium or Poland | Kazakhstan or Republic of Ireland | | | 11 | Turkey or Slovenia | Hungary or Netherlands |