The Republic of Ireland will be desperate to qualify for the 2026 World Cup given the huge Irish contingent in cities such as Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
With the tournament coming to the United States for the first time since 1994, Irish fans would jump at the chance to cheer for their homeland on the global stage.
They have fond memories of the 1994 World Cup, where Ireland reached the last-16 before exiting the tournament after coming up short against the Netherlands.
The 2026 showpiece could give Irish fans the opportunity to relive one of the best moments in their football history. Qualifying would also be massive for the Irish betting industry.
While the team would be one of the outsiders with the bookmakers to win the tournament, the best betting app in Ireland would be inundated with wagers on other markets.
For example, backing Ireland to reach the knockout stage would not be an outlandish bet and could deliver a sizeable winning return to sports bettors.
However, before the Irish can contemplate taking on the best in the world in North America, they need to qualify for the prestigious tournament.
A Glimpse Back at the 1994 World Cup
The early 1990s are widely viewed as a golden era for Ireland, even though it was not punctuated by winning major silverware.
Ireland missed out on the 1992 European Championship despite going unbeaten in the qualifying phase, but they bounced back by booking a spot at the 1994 World Cup in the US.
Their journey through the qualifiers was far from easy. They progressed from a group after edging out European champions Denmark by the slimmest of margins.
Their first game ended with a memorable 1-0 win over previous World Cup hosts Italy, but they were defeated 2-1 by Mexico in their second outing.
They closed the group stage with a gritty goalless draw against Norway at the Giants Stadium, which was enough to push them into the second round.
However, they lost 2-0 to the Netherlands in Orlando and their journey was over. Despite this, the forged an epic bond with fans in their homeland and those based in North America.
Irish expats packed local bars to celebrate their heritage and sport. The legacy of 1994 has lingered on, and Ireland’s presence at the 2026 World Cup would be big news in North America.
The Dream of a Knockout Run
Ireland struggled in 2024 Nations League, winning just twice in six games, casting doubt over their readiness for the World Cup qualifiers.
Despite changing managers following an awful 2024 European Championship qualifying campaign, things have not really improved for the national team.
After a protracted search, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) finally settled on former Iceland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson who has an impressive track record.
Hallgrimsson has a penchant for leading underdogs to major tournaments, and Ireland were hoping his magic wand would propel them to the World Cup.
But things have not gone as the FAI or Hallgrimsson would have expected, with Ireland finishing nine points behind England in their Nations League group.
Hallgrimson needs to find a solution to Ireland’s misfortunes quickly. If he can get them firing on all cylinders during the World Cup qualifiers, they would have a base to build from.
Ireland will want to give their fervent fans at home and in the diaspora something to cheer about and qualifying for the tournament would create a widespread frenzy.
Irish fans generated a wonderful atmosphere in 1994 and would take things to another level if they have the chance to back their team at the 2026 World Cup.
