Football Daily | Fifa bingo! World Cup playoff draw checks all boxes as Irelands and Wales plot paths

The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has admitted to accepting bribes linked to pro-Russian activities. The politician is set to be sentenced on Friday, following revelations from WhatsApp messages that exposed the bribery scheme.

New ice warnings have been issued across Scotland, England, and Wales for Friday, with the coldest night of the week anticipated on Thursday. Authorities are urging residents to exercise caution due to the expected hazardous conditions.

A report from the Covid inquiry has found that the early response to the pandemic in Wales was inadequate. The inquiry assessed the actions taken by all four governments in the UK, highlighting the challenges faced during the initial stages of the health crisis.

Musician Joy Crookes has expressed concern over the rise of far-right politics in the UK and Ireland, describing the current climate as a 'dark time.' She noted that the recent display of national flags during her visits to London and Dublin made her feel unsafe, drawing parallels to the 1970s when the National Front was prominent. Crookes recently performed two sold-out shows at the O2 Academy in Brixton.

Wales and Northern Ireland will compete for a place in the 2026 World Cup following the playoff draw. Wales will face Bosnia & Herzegovina at home, while Northern Ireland will travel to Italy for their semi-final. If both teams win their matches, they could meet in Cardiff for a chance to qualify for the finals. Wales recently achieved a significant victory against North Macedonia, boosting their confidence ahead of the playoffs.

Wales will host Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland will travel to Italy in the semi-finals of the World Cup play-offs. This draw sets the stage for both teams to compete for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

Laurent Koscielny has returned to Lorient as the sporting director after leaving Arsenal, where he played from 2010 to 2020. He expressed his desire to return to Brittany, citing the region's beauty and the kindness of its people. Koscielny aims to draw inspiration from his former manager Arsène Wenger in his new role.

Northern Ireland has been drawn to play Italy in the semi-finals of the World Cup play-offs, while Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Ireland will take on the Czech Republic. These matches are crucial as teams vie for a spot in the 2026 World Cup.