Heimir Hallgrimsson outlines his immediate priority in wake of Ireland's World Cup qualification draw
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson was reacting to the result of Friday morning’s 2026 World Cup qualification draw
Heimir Hallgrímsson has revealed how Friday’s World Cup qualification draw would shape his plans for next summer.
The Boys in Green boss was reacting to the news that Ireland had drawn the winners of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark, as well as Hungary and Armenia, in a four-team Group F.
Each group winner will advance automatically to the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, while the 12 runners up will enter a play-off system.
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Now that Hallgrímsson knows who Ireland are up against, he wants to pick friendly opponents next summer that will mirror their Group F opponents.
First up next year is the Nations League promotion/relegation play-off against Bulgaria, before a summer window that will see Ireland play a couple of friendlies, with at least one of those in Dublin.
Then the qualifiers will take place between September, October and November.
“The most important thing for us was to be in a group of four teams playing this September-October-November window,” he said.
“It comes quick. It finishes in three months. So hopefully, everybody will be fit and ready.
“A player with a big injury could miss all the qualifiers. So let's hope we are lucky in that sense -- in September, we have everybody fit and ready.
“Now we know who we are playing, we can try to find opponents in June who will be similar to the ones we are playing.”
Hallgrímsson addressed several other issues as he reacted to the draw.
Initial reaction
Hallgrímsson: “Kind of neutral, could have been worse, could have been better, so I think it’s a group that definitely teams will take points from each other.
“So looking at it, I don’t think there will be a runaway winner which makes it more possible to qualify, so good for us. I think it’s a kind of an equal group.”
Pressure of qualification
Hallgrímsson: “Of course, there is always pressure, that’s this job, and it’s about these games. They are going to come and go fast; September, October, November, then we know if we are going to qualify or not. That’s going to be a heavy pressure for these three months.”
Denmark or Portugal?
Hallgrímsson: “I said in the TV interviews that I think both these teams play similar types of football. Both possession teams, creative players, really good on the ball both teams.
“Portugal has better individuals so technically better individuals in Portugal but I think Denmark has a really good collective team. In Scandinavia, they are the best, in regards to technique etcetera, pressing.
“So both (are) good teams, a little bit different but play similar styles of football.”
Areas where Ireland can improve
Hallgrímsson: “We've been working a lot especially on the defensive organisation. If not for the second half against England, I would have said statistically it was improving a lot. The chances we conceded, the goals we avoided, the statistics were good until that second half.
“So I think we've taken good steps. But if we want to qualify, we need points against Denmark or Portugal, and Hungary.
“It's always easier to win points without conceding goals ourselves so we need to be spot on when it comes to those games in regards to the organisation. That is always the first priority.”
Liam Scales’ club struggles at Celtic
Hallgrímsson: “He's not played a lot recently but at the start of the season he played every minute so maybe he needs a little rest, maybe it's a tactical thing from the coach to give him a little rest.
“He's still playing and that's the positive for him, they are playing two games a week. But probably his form dipped a little bit and they have a good squad so it's probably load management from the coach.”
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