Ireland grouped with England in Nations League draw
Ireland have been drawn against England, Finland and Greece in the Uefa Nations League, with fixtures scheduled between September and November.
It will be Ireland’s first competitive clash with the auld enemy since 1991.
The League B section of the draw was made by Aleksandar Kolarov, the former Manchester City player whose goal for Serbia in Dublin went a long way to denying Ireland top spot in their 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Representing the FAI at the draw were recently-elected President Paul Cooke, chief executive Jonathan Hill and Director of Football Marc Canham.
Most managers of the 54 nations were in attendance at the Maison de la Mutualité but the FAI are still seeking theirs, 11 weeks after dispensing with Stephen Kenny.
Lee Carsley remains the first choice of the headhunting team, led by Canham, with Neil Lennon remaining in the mix while the England U21 boss muses over the finer details of the package and conditions on offer.
This is the fourth instalment of a Nations League concept that began in 2018 with a view to minimise friendlies.
Three successive third-placed finishes, the first in the three-team group, reflect Ireland’s abysmal record of two wins in 16 matches.
Ireland must top their group to secure the fallback option of a playoff before the World Cup qualifiers start in 2025.
In a tweak to the Nations League format, second and third placed teams will enter home and away playoffs. A runner-up berth would tee Ireland up against the nation that finishes third in League A for a place in the top tier of the next series.
Conversely, another third placed finish would necessitate a win over a League C runners-up to avoid relegation.
The 2026 World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico will be the first in
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