Have all home nations ever played in same World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup came close to matching a scenario that has only happened once before.

After England booked their place with a flawless campaign and Scotland qualified for their first World Cup in 28 years, Wales and Northern Ireland went into the play-offs.

However a home nations clean sweep at the finals is not going to happen again this year, because Wales and Northern Ireland nations have been drawn in the same European qualifying pathway.

That means that even if they both win their semi-finals, they will face each other for the same spot at the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Northern Ireland have been drawn away to Italy in their semi-final, while Wales host Bosnia-Herzegovina for a place in the Group A final.

So, when was the last time all four home nations qualified for the same men's World Cup?

The 1958 World Cup in Sweden was the last and in fact only time all home nations have played at the same World Cup.

Qualifying was a much more simple process back then, with nine automatic qualification spots up for grabs for the 27 European nations competing.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and England all topped their groups, but Wales qualified in unusual fashion after finishing second in qualifying but then being selected at random to compete in a play-off against Israel.

Wales advanced with a 4-0 aggregate victory over two legs to book their place at their first World Cup.

The tournament did not go to plan for England and Scotland though.

England, who were in a group with the Soviet Union, Austria and eventual winners Brazil, failed to make it to the knockout stage, while Scotland fared little better.

The Tartan Army were also eliminated at the first hurdle following defeats to France and Paraguay, and a draw against Yugoslavia.

However, Wales and Northern Ireland performed comparatively better. Both made it to the quarter-finals, with Northern Ireland eventually knocked out by France and Wales eliminated by a Brazil squad that included 17-year-old Pele.

Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 in the final, with Pele scoring a brace to mark his emergence on the world stage.

France's Just Fontaine scored 13 goals across the competition - a record that still stands today.

Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales have never all appeared in the same Women's World Cup tournament.

England have appeared in 19 World Cups, their crowning glory coming when they won the Jules Rimet trophy on home soil in 1966.

Scotland have previously qualified for 10 World Cup finals, but only appeared at nine. After finishing as runners-up in the 1950 British Home Championships, Scotland earned a place at that year's tournament in Brazil, but the Scottish Football Association declined after they previously declared that the nation would only attend as British champions. That decision was taken despite huge opposition from the players.

The Scots have never progressed beyond the group stages at a World Cup finals, winning only four of their 23 matches.

After making it to the quarter-finals in 1958, Wales had to wait until 2022 in Qatar to reach their second, where they finished bottom of their group.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland have qualified for three World Cup finals – in 1958, 1982 and 1986. In 1982, Billy Bingham's team achieved a massive upset by beating hosts Spain 1-0 in their final group game to make it to the knockout stages. They failed to make it past the group stages at the tournament four years later and have not qualified since.

Thomas Tuchel's England will open their tournament in Dallas on Wednesday, 17 June, before also facing Ghana and Panama in Group L.

Scotland's first match at the men's World Cup for 28 years will be against Haiti on Saturday, 13 June in Boston or New York, followed by matches against Morocco and Brazil in Group C.

Should they qualify through the play-offs, Wales or Northern Ireland would join Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.