World Cup play-offs

With 42 of the 48 places in the World Cup finals already taken, the remaining six spots are set to be decided before the end of March.

- RICHARD MCCLURE

LIVE FOOTBALL Thursday, kick-offs 7.45pm, BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 & S4C

That includes four places for European nations, with both Wales and Northern Ireland still gunning for qualification as they seek to join England and Scotland across the Atlantic this summer. In Thursday's one-legged playoff semifinals, Wales meet Bosnia & Herzegovina in Cardiff, while Northern Ireland travel to Bergamo to face Italy. If both home nations win, they will meet in a playoff final in Cardiff on Tuesday 31 March to decide which country will be playing in the USA, Canada and Mexico in June.

Here, we look ahead to the two crucial semifinals...

Wales v Bosnia & Herzegovina

Thursday, kickoff 7.45pm, BBC2 (Wales, BBC1; not N Ireland) & S4C

The Cardiff crowd will be roaring on their heroes as Wales bid to qualify for a second successive World Cup after ending a 64-year drought at Qatar 2022. That experience should stand Craig Bellamy (right) and his squad in good stead, including Harry Wilson, who grabbed five group goals as the Dragons finished behind Belgium.