Ireland have landed a favourable Euro 2020 finals draw - providing they successfully negotiate the playoffs.
If they qualify, the Boys in Green will face Poland and Sweden at Aviva Stadium on June 15 and 19 respectively before finishing the group away to Spain in Bilbao on June 24.
And according to FAI president Donal Conway, that’s all the incentive Ireland need to beat Slovakia in March before a playoff final against either Bosnia or Northern Ireland.
In Bucharest last night, Conway said: “Looking at it from a football point of view. Spain is Spain. But Sweden and Poland, they're not huge teams but they’re reasonably good.
“It does incentivise the whole thing. It regenerates and sets the whole thing off again, the journey to Euro 2020.
“I'd let Mick McCarthy speak for Mick McCarthy in due course but while Spain would be very formidable, I think we could compete with Sweden and Poland.”
Ireland last faced Sweden at Euro 2016, drawing 1-1 in a group stage clash in Paris and the Swedes have qualified this time around by finishing as runners-up to Spain.
Ireland’s last competitive meeting with Spain was at Euro 2012 when Giovanni Trapattoni’s men were thrashed 4-0.
And the Boys in Green last duelled with Poland in a meaningful game during the Euro 2016 qualifiers, drawing in Dublin before losing narrowly in Warsaw.
Poland boss Jerzy Brzeczek reckons their two games in Dublin next summer - one of them against Sweden - will feel like a home from home.
Brzeczek said “We know exactly how it looks in Ireland because there is a lot of Polish communities there.
“We remember the matches we played in the past, when the stadium was full of Polish fans.
“We know the Polish people in Ireland will be very interested by these games and the stadium will be full of Polish fans.”
And Brzeczek continued: “We’re aware we can play against two host nations if Ireland get through but that cannot be changed so we just have to be prepared.”
FAI president Conway knows the draw could have been a lot worse for Ireland should they triumph in the key playoff games in March.
Conway said: “If you look at it from a hosting city perspective, of course we would love to be there.
“But with the Polish population in the Republic of Ireland and the Swedes will travel to Dublin in very significant numbers, it's a hell of a lot better than being in Group F.”
Conway was referring to the Group of Death that includes World Cup winners France, Germany, reigning European champions Portugal and one of the playoff winners.
Aviva Stadium will host the Last 16 clash between the side that finishes second in that group and the winner of England’s group that also includes Croatia.
Another potential scenario sees Ireland and England play each other in a Last 16 encounter in Copenhagen, if they both finished second in their group.
Conway continued: “Commercially, it's an opportunity to bring the second biggest tournament in the world to Dublin and promote football and show off football.
“If it were Northern Ireland, if it were the Republic of Ireland, it's a huge focus on football in Ireland, a huge way of promoting it, a huge way of selling the game.
“The FAI will be very pleased with it.”
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