KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTING —- World Cup royalty in four-times champions Italy and previous runners-up Sweden and Czech Republic find themselves at risk of missing out on the finals in Qatar next November.

Roberto Mancini’s Italian European champions finished runners-up to Switzerland in European group C after being held goalless in Belfast by Northern Ireland on Monday night.

The trio are among the 12 nations who have ended up in the playoffs after the conclusion of the European qualifying group stage.

The winners of all 10 European groups have qualified automatically for the first winter World Cup with three more teams will seal their spot at the tournament via the play-offs.

Europe’s 10 group runners-up are joined by Austria and Czech Republic who qualified via the UEFA Nations League overall ranking.

The single-leg play-off semi-finals will be on Thursday, March 24, with the finals on Tuesday, March 29. In the play-off draw, 12 teams will be drawn into three play-off paths for one-legged semi-finals and finals.

Seeded to play home in the semi-finals are Portugal, Scotland, Italy, Russia, Sweden and Wales with the unseeded half-dozen being Turkey, Poland, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Austria and Czech Republic.

An additional draw will be made to determine which semi-final winner will play at home in the final.

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