IRELAND’S QUEST TO qualify for the 2018 World Cup will begin with a trip to Belgrade in September 2016 after the fixtures for the qualifying stages were confirmed by Uefa this morning.
The Boys in Green were paired with Wales, Austria, Serbia, Moldova and Georgia in yesterday’s draw in St Petersburg and Martin O’Neill now knows what lies ahead for his side.
As was the case for the Euro 2016 qualification matches, the order of fixtures in the European groups is decided by Uefa. This has replaced the old system where they were negotiated between the Associations involved.
Ireland’s Group D campaign starts on Monday 5 September 2016 against Serbia with three of the first four fixtures away from home.
Georgia’s visit to Dublin and a trip to Moldova is part of an October double-header.
With fixtures spread out over the course of a two-year period, there are large breaks in-between qualifiers with the two standalone home games in 2017 potentially going some way to determining Ireland’s fate.
Wales are the guests to the Aviva Stadium on Friday 24 March 2017 and then the season ends with the arrival of second seeds Austria.
The campaign concludes with a visit to Cardiff on Monday 9 October.
Times and venues have yet to be confirmed.
Ireland’s World Cup 2018 Qualifying fixtures:
2016
- Monday 5 September: Serbia away
- Thursday 6 October: Georgia home
- Sunday 9 October: Moldova away
- Saturday 12 November: Austria away
2017
- Friday 24 March: Wales home
- Sunday 11 June: Austria home
- Saturday 2 September: Georgia away
- Tuesday 5 September: Serbia home
- Friday 6 October: Moldova home
- Monday 9 October: Wales away
