Who could Wales face in Euro 2024 play-offs?

Cardiff City Stadium 'fortress' will help Wales in Euro 2024 play-offs - Page

Wales now know that they will need to win two play-off matches in March to qualify for Euro 2024.

However, Wales knew they had already guaranteed themselves a play-off place, thanks to the fact they had been in the top tier of the Nations League's most recent edition.

Wales will host Ukraine, Finland or Iceland in a one-legged play-off semi-final on 21 March.

Win that game and they will face Poland or Estonia - with home advantage to be decided via a draw on Thursday - in another one-off tie five days later, with the winner securing their place at next summer's tournament in Germany.

Here is what you need to know about Wales and the Euro 2024 play-offs.

Who is in the play-offs?

Path A: Poland, Wales, Estonia and one of Ukraine, Finland or Iceland

Path B: Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina and two of Ukraine, Finland or Iceland

Path C: Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan and Luxembourg

How do the play-offs work and when is the draw?

The play-offs will decide the final three sides to qualify. There will be six semi-finals on 21 March 2024, before the finals on 26 March.

Twelve teams are in the play-offs based on their performance in the 2022-23 Nations League.

The play-off fixtures will be:

Semi-finals - Path A: Poland v Estonia & Wales v Finland or Ukraine or Iceland

Semi-finals - Path B: Israel v Ukraine or Iceland & Bosnia & Herzegovina v Finland or Ukraine

Semi-finals - Path C: Georgia v Luxembourg & Greece v Kazakhstan

A draw, which takes place this Thursday, will decide which path the non-group winners - Finland, Ukraine and Iceland - will follow and who hosts who in the finals.

You will be able to watch the draw, alongside live text updates, on the BBC Sport website and app from 11:00 GMT.

Who could Wales face in the play-off semi-final?

Ukraine

Oleksandr Zinchenko (right) impressed when Ukraine lost to Wales in last year's World Cup play-off final

Form: The highest-ranked team in the play-offs, Ukraine were unfortunate not to qualify automatically from Group C behind winners England. They were tied on points with Italy in second but lost out because of their head-to-head record against the Azzurri, who held on for a goalless draw on Monday despite strong appeals for a Ukrainian penalty in stoppage time.

Key player: Oleksandr Zinchenko. Most often seen at left-back for Arsenal and Manchester City, Zinchenko plays in central midfield for Ukraine, where is the heartbeat of the team. He is an intelligent and energetic orchestrator of play and, when Ukraine last faced Wales, Zinchenko was arguably the best player on the pitch.

Most recent meeting with Wales: Sunday, 5 June, 2022 was an unforgettable day for Wales as they beat Ukraine to qualify for their first World Cup for 64 years. However, their 1-0 win in Cardiff did not reflect how Ukraine dominated much of the game. Should they meet again in March, Ukraine will have a score to settle.

Finland

Form: Finland finished third in Group H as Denmark and Slovenia took the automatic qualification spots. It was a campaign of ups and downs, beating Slovenia and winning away in Kazakhstan - with whom Finland finished on the same points tally - but then losing at home to the same opponents.

Key player: Teemu Pukki. Now 33 and playing for Minnesota United in Major League Soccer, the former Norwich City striker is still the main man of the Finnish attack. Pukki has 11 goals in 20 appearances for club and country this season, and he has shown his creative side for Finland with some important assists during this qualifying campaign.

Most recent meeting with Wales: Both the past two competitive encounters between these teams ended in Wales wins in the Nations League in 2020. Most recently, in September 2021, a depleted Wales side were held to a goalless friendly draw in Helsinki.

Iceland

Form: Iceland's adventures at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup may have felt like distant memories during this qualifying campaign in which they finished below Luxembourg in Group J, with Portugal and Slovakia claiming the top two positions. Iceland's only win of any note was at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina, who endured an even worse campaign as they finished fifth with only bottom side Liechtenstein below them.

Key player: Stalwarts such as Aron Gunnarsson, Alfred Finnbogason and Gylfi Sigurdsson are approaching the end of their careers as Iceland's golden era enters its twilight years. One of the younger players making a name for himself is 24-year-old midfielder Arnor Sigurdsson, who already has 30 caps and has impressed with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship this season.

Most recent meeting with Wales: Gareth Bale was the star of the show as Wales beat Iceland 3-1 in a friendly in 2014. Then at Real Madrid, Bale scored a sensational solo goal as he picked the ball up in his own half, motored past Iceland's flailing defenders and fired into the bottom corner.

And who could Wales face in the play-off final?

Poland

Wales faced Poland and their legendary captain Robert Lewandowski in the Nations League last year

Form: Poland reached the knockout stages of the World Cup less than a year ago but this has been a disappointing qualifying campaign as they finished finished third in Group E behind Albania and the Czech Republic. Michal Probierz replaced Fernando Santos as manager in September but draws at home to Moldova and the Czech Republic rounded off a campaign to forget for the Poles.

Key player: Robert Lewandowski. Who else? Poland's all-time leading goalscorer is one of the world's most feared strikers. Even at 35, the Barcelona player is still a potent finisher and has 11 goals for club and country so far this season.

Most recent meeting with Wales: Poland beat Wales 1-0 in Cardiff in September 2022 to relegate Robert Page's side from the top tier of the Nations League. Lewandowski's beautiful touch set up Karol Swiderski to score the winning goal.

Estonia

Form: Estonia are the lowest-ranked team in the play-offs, way down in 118th, and they finished bottom of Group F after losing seven of their eight matches. It would be a major surprise if they overcame Poland to reach the play-off final.

Key player: Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein is a busy man when he is on international duty with Estonia, who conceded 22 goals in eight qualifiers. It could have been more were it not for Hein, who impressed when Estonia held Wales to a goalless draw in World Cup qualifying two years ago.

Most recent meeting with Wales: A month after that goalless draw in Cardiff, Wales scraped past Estonia 1-0 in Tallinn thanks to Kieffer Moore's close-range finish.

Finally, in case Wales qualify, when is the Euro 2024 draw?

The draw takes place on Saturday, 2 December. You will be able to watch it live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from 17:15 GMT. There will also be live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.