Republic of Ireland to Meet Bulgaria in Play-off Match

The Republic of Ireland is set to compete against Bulgaria in their Nations League relegation/promotion play-off during March. This fixture follows Heimir Hallgrimsson’s Republic of Ireland team concluding their Nations League campaign with a 5-0 defeat by England at Wembley. Hallgrimsson’s squad is striving to maintain its position in League B, having finished third in Group B2, behind both England and Greece. The Republic’s only two wins throughout the group stage were achieved against Finland, a team subsequently relegated automatically to League C. Their campaign ultimately concluded with a significant 5-0 loss to England at Wembley. Following the match, Hallgrimsson expressed that he was “lost for words” and stated that his team “gave up” after England netted three goals within a five-minute period, occurring after Liam Scales received a red card. Bulgaria secured second position in Group C3, behind Northern Ireland. Michael O’Neill’s team suffered a 1-0 loss to Bulgaria in Plovdiv, yet achieved a 5-0 victory at Windsor Park. Bulgaria, currently ranked 84th globally (in contrast to the Republic’s 63rd position), recorded two draws against Belarus and achieved one win and one draw against Luxembourg during the group stage. The initial leg of the play-off is scheduled to occur in Bulgaria on Thursday, 20 March, with the return leg taking place at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, 23 March. Sandi Toksvig is accompanied by Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Opportunities are available to sing along to music from Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and other artists. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble have returned for the celebrations at Longleat Safari Park. Topics range from microplastics found in our air, soil, and waterways to the current levels of food waste during this period. © 2024 BBC. The BBC disclaims responsibility for content on external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.