Ireland will learn their opponents for the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League on Thursday evening, with the draw taking place in Brussels at 5pm Irish time.

The Boys in Green remain in League B after beating Bulgaria in last year’s playoff. They have competed at that level since the competition began in 2018 and have survived despite winning just four group games across four campaigns.

Ireland sit in Pot 3 alongside Slovenia, Georgia and Romania. One team will come from each of the other three pots.

Pot One includes Scotland, Hungary, Poland and Israel. Pot Two features Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria and Ukraine. Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland and Kosovo make up Pot Four. Ireland currently rank 59th in the world.

UEFA rules prevent Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo from appearing in the same group.

From an Irish viewpoint, a favourable draw would include Scotland, Austria and North Macedonia. That group would offer competitive fixtures and appealing away trips, including Hampden Park and Vienna. North Macedonia would also provide a more adventurous destination.

A tougher draw for travelling fans could see Ireland paired with Israel, Ukraine and Kosovo.

The Nations League may also shape Ireland’s route to Euro 2028. As co-hosts, Ireland benefit from a safety net, with two tournament places reserved for host nations that fail to qualify through the groups.

All four hosts — Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales — will still enter qualifying as normal. Should two or more of the other hosts miss out automatically, Ireland could lose access to those reserved places.

In that case, topping their Nations League group could prove vital, as group winners may enter the playoff route to the finals, depending on how many host spots come into play.