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The team's sights are firmly on the upcoming World Cup play-off fixture as they await learning their semi-final and potential final opponents.

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

They will face either the Albanian side, Bosnia, Kosovo or Ireland in that match on 26 March.

Ex- Wales forward Rob Earnshaw feels the Dragons will welcome a match against whichever opponent after their most recent result at Cardiff City Stadium.

"I'm familiar with Craig Bellamy, we were teammates with him and his mindset is 'bring on whoever, it doesn't matter'," Earnshaw commented.

"A lot of fans were saying last night, 'should we actually want Republic of Ireland because of that local feel?'. In my view a number of supporters didn't. But for me, that would be incredible.

"It's that type of situation, indeed, we're ready for the Kosovans or the Bosnians and the Albanians are not bad and Ireland, of course, they are a very good team so it will be difficult.

"But you just feel that we're prepared for anybody at the moment and we're confident, and much of that is because of Craig Bellamy."

Possible Playoff Semi-final Rivals Evaluated

The Welsh squad are placed thirty-fourth in the world standings, with Albania sixty-first, Republic of Ireland sixty-second, Bosnia-Herzegovina seventy-fifth and the Kosovan side eighty-fourth.

Albania had a solid qualifying run, with their sole defeats coming at the hands of their group winners England, who secured full points without conceding a solitary goal.

The Premier League's Armando Broja and Lazio's Elseid Hysaj are part of the Albanian squad's recognizable players, although it was former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Watford striker Rey Manaj who topped their goal tally in the qualifiers with 3 goals.

Notably, Albania have not yet earned a spot for a World Cup, although they featured at the 2016 European Championship and the 2024 Euros, failing to advance to the knockout stages on both occasions.

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

The Switzerland finished the six-game qualifiers three points ahead of Kosovo, whose single defeat came at the hands of the pool winners.

Kosovo feature ex- Manchester City goalkeeper Arijanet Muric and La Liga's Vedat Muriqi – his country's all-time leading goalscorer – in a team targeting a first international competition appearance.

They have never played Wales.

Bosnia were defeated only one time in qualifying, and claimed a point more than Wales managed in their 8 games, but nonetheless finished two points adrift of Group H winners Austria.

They were 13 minutes away from securing a place at the finals, but Michael Gregoritsch's equaliser for the Austrians ensured the teams tied in the last game of qualification and Ralf Rangnick's team won the pool.

The Welsh have failed to defeat the Bosnian side in four matches but did have a unforgettable loss against the Dragons as they qualified for the 2016 European Championship under Chris Coleman despite losing.

Being his country's all-time top goalscorer and record appearance player, ex- Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, now at Fiorentina, is undoubtedly Bosnia's key player.

The veteran was his team's top scorer in qualifying with five goals.

Lastly, we have Republic of Ireland.

After secured just one point from their opening three matches, Heimir Hallgrímsson's side stormed into the playoffs with successive wins against Armenia, Portugal and Hungary.

Troy Parrott scored both goals against Euro 2016 winners Portugal before scoring a hat-trick – with the third goal coming in the 96th minute – as the Republic of Ireland stunned Hungary to secure second place in Group F in thrilling style.

Key player Seamus Coleman had a vital role in his team's resurgence while Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has made the number one jersey his own.

The Republic of Ireland are winless in their last 4 encounters with Wales, losing three of those, though James McClean broke the hearts of the Red Wall as Martin O'Neill's men won a crucial World Cup qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium in 2017.