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The team's attention are squarely on the upcoming World Cup play-off fixture as they await learning their semifinal and potential final challengers.

Having ended as runners-up in their qualifying group following a decisive 7-1 win over North Macedonia – their biggest win since 1978 – the side will host the semifinal match on home soil.

They will meet either Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo or Ireland in that match on 26 March.

Former Wales forward Rob Earnshaw thinks the Welsh squad will welcome a match against any team after their most recent result at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I know Craig Bellamy, we were teammates with him and his approach is 'give us whoever, it doesn't matter'," Earnshaw said.

"Many people were saying last night, 'do we actually want Ireland as it's that local feel?'. In my view a number of supporters were hesitant. But for me, that would be amazing.

"It's one of those, yes, we'll take Kosovo or the Bosnians and the Albanians are not bad and Republic of Ireland, naturally, they are a capable team so it will be tough.

"However the sense is that we're prepared for anyone right now and it doesn't matter, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy."

Potential Playoff Semi-final Rivals Assessed

Wales are placed thirty-fourth in the world rankings, with the Albanian team 61st, Ireland 62nd, Bosnia seventy-fifth and the Kosovan side eighty-fourth.

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

Burnley's Armando Broja and Lazio's Elseid Hysaj are among the Red and Blacks's prominent players, though it was ex- Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford forward Rey Manaj who topped their goal tally in qualifying with 3 goals.

It is worth noting, Albania have never qualified for a World Cup, though they participated at Euro 2016 and the 2024 Euros, failing to reach the knockout stages on each occasions.

As Slovenia and Sweden endured poor runs, with each failing to win a qualification match, Group B was a direct battle between Switzerland and Kosovo.

The Switzerland ended the six-game qualifiers 3 points clear of Kosovo, whose one defeat was at the hands of the group winners.

The Kosovan squad include ex- Manchester City goalkeeper Arijanet Muric and Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi – his country's all-time top scorer – in a team aiming for a maiden international competition appearance.

They have not yet faced Wales.

Bosnia lost only one time in qualifying, and claimed a point more than Wales managed in their eight games, but nonetheless ended two points adrift of Group H winners Austria.

They were 13 minutes away from clinching a place at the World Cup, but Michael Gregoritsch's leveler for the Austrians ensured the pair tied in the final game of qualification and Ralf Rangnick's team topped the pool.

Wales have not managed to beat the Bosnians in four matches but did have a memorable defeat against Zmajevi as they earned qualification for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman despite losing.

As his country's all-time leading scorer and record appearance player, ex- Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, currently with Fiorentina, is unquestionably Bosnia's key player.

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

Lastly, we have Ireland.

After secured only a single point from their opening three matches, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side stormed into the play-offs with successive wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.

Troy Parrott netted the two goals against the 2016 European Championship winners Portugal before scoring a hat-trick – with the third goal arriving in the 96th minute – as the Irish stunned Hungary to secure runner-up spot in Group F in dramatic fashion.

Talisman Seamus Coleman had a crucial role in his side's revival while Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has secured the starting position his own.

The Republic of Ireland are winless in their past 4 encounters with the Welsh, losing 3 of these, although James McClean broke the hopes of the Welsh fans as Martin O'Neill's team won a decisive World Cup qualifying match at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.