World Cup 2026: Craig Bellamy aims high as Wales’ path revealed

Bellamy will be keen to build on the momentum of a maiden Nations League campaign in charge that has seen him go unbeaten in his first six games since replacing Robert Page.

However, he has made it clear that reaching the World Cup is his ultimate aim, and the former Wales captain was buoyed by the challenge presented to him by the draw made in Zurich.

Wales will take on regular foes Belgium – who topped the group in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup – and then face shedding their underdog status for games against third seeds North Macedonia, taking on the arduous trip to Astana for the game against Kazakhstan, and hoping not to slip up against minnows Liechtenstein.

Bellamy added: “To get Belgium is great; I lived in Brussels for three years so that’s nice, there’s few players I was involved with, like Jeremy [Doku] and Zeno Debast, so it will be nice to see them.

“It’s a team I know very well, a team I’ve watched quite a lot of especially in the last five, six years.

“North Macedonia is a different challenge, Kazakhstan we’ve never drawn before, so travel and what it will entail will be very different, Liechtenstein… I’m happy, I have to be honest, it’s a good group.

“We’re going to have to do our homework really well, and hopefully try and attack and finish top of the group.”

Wales would have faced the prospect of friendlies in March and June before a congested campaign began in September had they been placed in a four-team group, with Bellamy admitting: “It’s good to get going [in March].

“I really enjoyed the Nations League; friendlies I understand, but if I’m honest I’m not too concerned, because I don’t see international games being friendlies – now we have none, we’re straight in which is nice.

“There always something on a game, but this is real, live, this is qualifying.”