The Republic of Ireland are third in their group, but their fate remains in their own hands as they face the two teams above them – taking on the Netherlands in Cork on Friday (19:30) before travelling to France for their final fixture on Tuesday (20:00).

Win both and the Republic of Ireland will seal a place at the World Cup – for only the second time in their history – regardless of results elsewhere.

As Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are in League B, however, the picture is slightly different.

The best they can achieve is a play-off place by finishing in the top three – a position both have already secured with two games to spare.

Scotland are in top spot before back-to-back fixtures with Israel on Friday (17:00) and Tuesday (18:00).

Meanwhile, Wales are second in their group on goal difference behind Czech Republic whom they host on Tuesday (18:00), after travelling to Montenegro on Friday (17:00).

Finally, Northern Ireland need a point from their final games in Turkey (Friday, 18:00) and at home to Switzerland (Tuesday, 18:00) to secure a play-off berth.

Reaching the play-offs extends hope of making the World Cup, but teams will still have to navigate two rounds in the autumn to get to Brazil.

Victor Wembanyama endured an emotional night after securing the Western Conference title, even shedding tears postgame. However, NBA legend Kevin Garnett criticized the Spurs star for showing emotion before winning the Finals, questioning the timing of his reaction despite the magnitude of the achievement.

The former NBA champion offered a scathing review of Wemby’s emotional reaction during an episode of the Ticket & the Truth podcast on Tuesday.

“He’s got to go through some bull s*it. He’s crying in the motherf*cking Western Conference finals,” KG remarked. “That was too emotional for me … You got four more games to get. You’ve got to go through the Finals now.”

Garnett’s reaction to Wemby’s emotional outpour was later highlighted by Joebuddenclips on X (formerly Twitter).

“Kevin Garnett says Victor Wembanyama crying in the Western Conference finals was too emotional for me the job isn’t done yet,” joebuddenclips wrote. “He also says the Knicks need to be ready cause the Spurs ain’t the sixers they got people to guard Jalen Brunson.”

The post quickly earned the reactions of fans who blasted KG for picking on Wemby.

While a few fans extended Garnett an olive branch and understood what he meant, they still felt Wemby was young and had the right to show his emotions.

Although Garnett’s argument centered on unfinished business, Wembanyama continues to stand out as a transcendent figure on and off the court. Beyond his unique skill set as a three-point shooting big man, his emotional maturity and willingness to express himself have become defining traits of his personality.

Despite Garnett’s criticism, the Spurs star remains a breath of fresh air in a sporting landscape where showing emotion is often viewed as a weakness. Wembanyama, however, has leaned into being unapologetically authentic, embracing his individuality rather than conforming to traditional expectations.

An emotional Victor Wembanyama reflects on winning the WCF title

Victor Wembanyama helped secure the San Antonio Spurs’ first Western Conference Finals title since 2014 on Saturday, following a grueling seven-game series against the OKC Thunder. After the game, the center was visibly emotional as he picked up the Western Conference Finals MVP award.

During the postgame interview, Wemby reflected on the WCF title while looking back on his journey.

“Winning the Larry O’Brien is a childhood dream,” Wemby said. “Having a real, tangible chance at it, at realizing that dream, you know, it’s a lifetime opportunity. You never know when it’s going to happen again … It’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life.”

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The center is now four wins away from lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy as he looks to fulfill his childhood dream.