Iceland will be hoping for a repeat of their Euro 2016 campaign after they booked their spot in Russia next year against the odds.

Iceland have become the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup after a 2-0 win over Kosovo confirmed their spot in Russia next year.

Gylfi Sigurdsson and Johann Gudmundsson scored in either half to claim all three points and secure their position at the summit of Group I.

Iceland are the first nation to qualify for football’s biggest tournament with a population of under one million. The country’s population is a mere 330,000.

Heimir Hallgrimsson will be hoping for a repeat of his side’s heroics at Euro 2016, where they memorably reached the quarter-finals.

Croatia secured second place – and a play-off spot – behind Iceland as a Andrej Kramaric brace saw off the threat of Ukraine, who themselves could have grabbed a play-off place had they won.

Meanwhile, in Group D, a late goal from Aleksandar Prijovic helped Serbia to a 1-0 win over Georgia, confirming their position at the top of the group and booking their place in Russia.

In the same group, the Republic of Ireland secured a spot in the play-offs as a second-half goal from James McClean helped them to beat Wales 1-0 and leapfrog their hosts into second place.

-This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za