Republic of Ireland will hope to reach their first World Cup since 2002, when they kick off their qualification campaign in Serbia on Wednesday.

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Ireland have lost in the playoff round in two of the last three World Cup qualification campaigns, but there is hope they can escape Group A here.

First up for boss Stephen Kenny is a trip to Belgrade, where Ireland will aim to end an 11-game winless streak that stretches back to September 2019.

The Republic earned a 0-0 draw against Bulgaria in their previous outing back in November in the UEFA Nations League, while Serbia come into this fixture with an equally poor record.

One win from 11 games includes 0-0 draws against Dominican Republic and Panama in January, and has left Serbian fans wondering if they can mount a sustained qualification challenge here.

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RadioTimes.com has rounded up everything you need to know about how to watch Serbia v Republic of Ireland on TV and online.

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When is Serbia v Republic of Ireland on TV?

Serbia v Republic of Ireland will take place on Wednesday 24th March 2021.

Check out our live football on TV guide for the latest times and information.

What time is kick-off?

Serbia v Republic of Ireland will kick off at 7:45pm.

There are numerous World Cup qualifiers taking place during this international break including Scotland v Austria, which kicks off at 7:45pm on Thursday.

What TV channel is Serbia v Republic of Ireland on?

You can watch the game live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm.

You can add the Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football channels for just £18 per month combined or pick up the complete sports package for just £23 per month.

How to live stream Serbia v Republic of Ireland online

Sky Sports customers can live stream the game via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices including most smartphones and tablets as part of their subscription.

You can also watch the match via NOW without signing up to a contract.

NOW can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs, phones and consoles. NOW is also available via BT Sport.

Serbia v Republic of Ireland team news

Serbia: Dusan Tadic and Luka Jovic will provide the quality in this Serbia side on Wednesday, while this game is perfect for Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic to prove his worth after losing his spot in the Cottagers’ first XI.

Aleksandar Kolarov and Adem Ljajic were left out of the squad by boss Dragan Stojkovic.

Republic of Ireland: Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is injured, while Kevin Long, Callum O'Dowda and Conor Hourihane are also sidelined.

Mark Travers could start between the sticks and Shane Long is likely to lead the line.

Serbia v Republic of Ireland odds

In working partnership with the Radio Times, bet365 has provided the following betting odds for this event:

bet365 odds: Serbia (8/13) Draw (5/2) Republic of Ireland (5/1)*

For all the latest international football odds and more, visit bet365 today and claim an opening account offer of ‘Up to £100 in Bet Credits**’, utilising the bonus code ‘RT365’.

*Odds subject to change. 18+. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org. Note – The bonus code RT365 does not change the offer amount in any way.

Our prediction: Serbia v Republic of Ireland

Serbia will certainly pose a threat to Ireland here, but the lack of home fans is almost guaranteed to even out the game.

Ireland will see this as a perfect opportunity to kick-start their World Cup qualifying campaign with an away win.

There'll be plenty of impetus for Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick to get the ball forward, while the Ciaran Clark partnership with Shane Duffy in defence must be able to handle the might of Mitrovic.

Our prediction: Serbia 1-2 Republic of Ireland (18/1 at bet365)

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