Big guns avoided in Ireland's World Cup qualifying group
The Republic of Ireland will face Wales, Austria, Serbia, Moldova and Georgia in World Cup 2018 Qualifying Group D.
Group D #WorldCup2018 qualifying draw. #coybig #Ireland pic.twitter.com/mMQIosIs8e
— One Team In Ireland (@1TeaminIreland) July 25, 2015
Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland side in the pot of fourth seeds.
Group rivals Wales have only attended a World Cup finals once in their history, in 1958.
The winners of each group will qualify automatically for the finals in Russia, with the runners-up having to take part in a play-off.
European Zone Round 1#PrelimDrawhttp://t.co/c3B7z1vflL pic.twitter.com/gTSGsZcykN
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 25, 2015
Northern Ireland will have to face world champions Germany in Group C along with the Czech Republic, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino.
England and Scotland will clash after being drawn in the same group.
The two nations were drawn in Group F along with Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta.
England have not failed to qualify for a World Cup since 1994, though they did miss out on the European Championships in 2008.
GROUP A: Holland, France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg
GROUP B: Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra
GROUP C: Germany, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino
GROUP D: Wales, Austria, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia
GROUP E: Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan
GROUP F: England, Slovakia, Scotland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta
GROUP G: Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, FYR Macedonia, Liechtenstein
GROUP H: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus
GROUP I: Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland
