The Republic of Ireland pulled off one of the great comebacks in World Cup qualifying history, as they beat Hungary 3-2 in Budapest on Sunday to reach the playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.

Troy Parrott’s hat trick left him in tears as Ireland fans everywhere rejoiced as they finished second in Group F and are now heading to the UEFA playoffs for a spot at their first World Cup finals since 2002.

They will play a one-off playoff semifinal in March 2026, then if they win that they will play a final with the winner qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

A few weeks ago Heimir Hallgrimsson’s Ireland looked down and out in qualifying but won all of their final three qualifiers, including a memorable 2-0 win against Portugal in Dublin on Thursday thanks to Parrott’s double, to keep their World Cup

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