Big guns avoided in Ireland's World Cup qualifying group

The Republic of Ireland will face Wales, Austria, Serbia, Moldova and Georgia in World Cup 2018 Qualifying Group D.

Group D #WorldCup2018 qualifying draw. #coybig #Ireland pic.twitter.com/mMQIosIs8e

— One Team In Ireland (@1TeaminIreland) July 25, 2015

Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland side in the pot of fourth seeds.

Group rivals Wales have only attended a World Cup finals once in their history, in 1958.

The winners of each group will qualify automatically for the finals in Russia, with the runners-up having to take part in a play-off.

European Zone Round 1#PrelimDrawhttp://t.co/c3B7z1vflL pic.twitter.com/gTSGsZcykN

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 25, 2015

Northern Ireland will have to face world champions Germany in Group C along with the Czech Republic, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino.

England and Scotland will clash after being drawn in the same group.

The two nations were drawn in Group F along with Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta.

England have not failed to qualify for a World Cup since 1994, though they did miss out on the European Championships in 2008.

European group-by-group guide to the 2018 World Cup qualifying draw:

GROUP A: Holland, France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg

GROUP B: Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra

GROUP C: Germany, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

GROUP D: Wales, Austria, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia

GROUP E: Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan

GROUP F: England, Slovakia, Scotland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta

GROUP G: Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, FYR Macedonia, Liechtenstein

GROUP H: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus

GROUP I: Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland