Northern Ireland Men's Football Team

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Press Eye

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill says the "target" for his side is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, either through the play-offs or winning their group.

O'Neill's side will face Luxembourg, Slovakia and the winner of the Nations League play-off between Germany and Italy when qualifying begins in September.

The winner of Group A will automatically qualify for the finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada, while the runner-up will go into a play-off.

There is a chance Northern Ireland could still qualify for a play-off by finishing outside the top two as winners of their Nations League group last year, but would need other teams above them to also qualify.

"We want to be playing for a place in the World Cup, whether that is through a play-off or if we could have an amazing group and overcome one of the big nations," O'Neill said ahead of Friday's friendly with Switzerland.

"It is a huge ask but we have to aspire to do it and give the players that target and goal to try and achieve."

Northern Ireland face the Swiss in Belfast and travel to Sweden on Tuesday. They will also play Iceland and another game against an unannounced opponent in June's double-header.

With that in mind, O'Neill says it is important to make the friendlies "competitive" to try and ensure his side are in the best possible shape for the start of the qualifiers.

"Success for us would be managing to secure a play-off place for the World Cup at the very least and that's what we have to aspire to do.

"There's no point in me saying to the boys it would be great if we finish third because it won't."

Image source, Press Eye

Teenage Northern Ireland defender Ruairi McConville is keen to sample more senior international action after making his debut for Michael O'Neill's side as a late substitute in the 2-0 home Nations League win over Belarus in November.

The 19-year-old has been named in the squad for the forthcoming friendly internationals against Switzerland in Belfast on Friday and Sweden in Stockholm on Tuesday.

He made his professional debut for Brighton in an FA Cup victory over Norwich City in January, before joining the Canaries on a five-and-a-half-year contract at the start of February.

"Crazy really. It's all happened so quickly," reflected McConville in an interview with BBC Sport NI on the last six months.

"It all started probably from making my debut here [for NI against Belarus in November] and since then things have changed and it's only been positive for me thankfully.

"It's been down to a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication. Once you get that first feeling [of international football] you want to keep it going and build on it."

The former NI U19 captain is already enjoying life at Carrow Road despite having been at the Championship club for less than two months.

"I've loved every single minute of it. It's a change of surroundings, environment, it's been great and everyone has made me feel very welcome.

"It's madness, even after leaving Brighton it's crazy how quick the time has gone. It's important just for me to live in the moment and enjoy what I'm doing and I am very grateful for the position that I'm in."

The former Linfield player hopes to sample some more international match time over the next week and is encouraged by the opportunities that have been afforded to young players by NI boss O'Neill.

"It's so encouraging that the opportunity is there to play with boys that you've known nearly your whole life. It's a great feeling and hopefully it will continue for many years to come," added McConville.

Image source, Getty Images

Northern Ireland's Conor Hazard says the goalkeepers in Michael O'Neill's squad are "all improving each other" as they contend for selection for their upcoming matches with Switzerland and Sweden.

The Plymouth Argyle stopper has been number one choice for the Championship club this season and impressed against Premier League opponents Liverpool and Manchester City during the Pilgrims' FA Cup run.

The 27-year-old has had to be patient throughout his international career, winning just eight caps since his debut against Costa Rica in 2018.

With 48-times capped Bailey Peacock-Farrell left out of the squad for the two upcoming friendlies, and Pierce Charles not featuring regularly for Sheffield Wednesday, Hazard will be hopeful of adding to his international appearances.

Bolton's Luke Southwood is also in the group for the forthcoming double-header.

"At international level you're always going to be performing against the best and luckily we have three or four top goalkeepers in Northern Ireland at the moment and we're all here to try and get that number one spot," the former Celtic goalkeeper told BBC Sport NI.

"It's been an up and down season for me, getting injured at the start of the season and after coming back fit we've had a number of huge fixtures that I've been involved in."

Plymouth defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the fourth round of the FA Cup but lost 3-0 to Man City in round five.

"I'm always delighted to be back playing and performing. As a professional athlete you want to test yourself against the best and we were doing that against Liverpool and City.

"It's something I want to do for the rest of my career."

Hazard says the squad are looking forward to testing themselves against quality opposition in the form of the Swiss and the Swedes over the coming week as preparation for their World Cup qualifiers which kick off in September.

"We're all very motivated and we all can see the talent we have in the group and the hard working group we have.

"We're striving towards something special. Not many people get to perform in the World Cup qualifiers and it's definitely our aim to qualify.

"This is a team in the top 20 in the world coming on Friday and we know what they're going to bring. But we also know what we can do and what we believe in so we're looking forward to testing ourselves."

Image source, Inpho

Birmingham City goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who has 48 caps, has been left on the standby list this time around.

After losing his place to Pierce Charles, 19, through injury in October, the former Leeds and Burnley keeper has not featured since, while he has been struggling for minutes at his League One club of late.

Charles kept three clean sheets in his first three caps and impressed with his distribution from the back too.

The Sheffield Wednesday man perhaps could have done better with one of Luxembourg's goals in the 2-2 draw last time out but the main sticking point for O'Neill will likely be a lack of regular football at Hillsborough.

Plymouth's Conor Hazard, in contrast, has been number one for the Pilgrims in the Championship and impressed against Premier League opposition during their FA Cup run.

The 27-year-old has had to be patient throughout his international career, winning just eight caps since his debut against Costa Rica in 2018.

Will the benefit of regular football see him get an extended chance in this window?

You can read Jonathan Bradley's full feature here

Image source, Inpho

Since Johnny Evans' 107th and final cap against Spain in June, O'Neill has had four different captains in seven games.

Daniel Ballard wore the armband in the summer friendly against Andorra, before Trai Hume was handed the honour for the opening two games of last year's Nations League campaign.

Conor Bradley led the team out for the first time in the October games against Bulgaria and Belarus before Shea Charles did likewise to see the campaign to a conclusion a month later.

During O'Neill's first spell in charge, Steven Davis was a long-serving skipper but the manager has signalled his happiness to continue to rotate in the hope that a group of leaders can be established.

With Ballard and Bradley both missing through injury this month, and the latter tipped as the most likely permanent captain should O'Neill name one, will we see another new face in the role for these games?

You can read Jonathan Bradley's full feature here

Image source, Inpho

After topping their Nations League group in November and having the fortune of being drawn in a four-team World Cup qualifying group, Northern Ireland will wait 10 months for a competitive game.

That gives Michael O'Neill plenty of time to plot his path to a first World Cup in 40 years with friendly matches coming up this week and in June - all of which you can watch live across BBC NI.

Ahead of those first qualifiers in September, O'Neill needs to look at his goal-scorers.

With Josh Magennins only on standby, the most prolific member of O'Neill's squad for these games is centre-back Paddy McNair with seven international goals.

Indeed, after Dion Charles pulled out through injury on Tuesday, the five forwards remaining in the panel have zero international goals between them, although two have yet to make their Northern Ireland debuts.

The Fifa transfers of former under-age internationals Ronan Hale and Jamie Donley, from Republic of Ireland and England respectively, offer two intriguing new options.

Former Cliftonville striker Hale hit the ground running in the Scottish Premiership after his summer switch to Ross County and, while more accustomed to a deeper role, Tottenham Hotspur's Donley has still found the net six times while on loan at Leyton Orient this year.

They are not the only players to have been among the goals this season, either.

Hale, Donley, Lee Bonis, Callum Marshall and Dale Talyor have netted more than 40 times combined for their clubs in 2025-26.

You can read Jonathan Bradley's full feature here

Image source, Press Eye

Former Northern Ireland stars Steven Davis and Stuart Dallas will be inducted into the Malcolm Brodie Northern Ireland Hall of Fame in May.

The pair will receive the honour at the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association's annual award ceremony on 4 May.

Davis, who played for Aston Villa and Rangers, won a record-breaking 140 caps for Northern Ireland and captained the team at the Euro 2016 finals.

"It's an incredible honour to be inducted into the Malcolm Brodie Hall of Fame alongside genuine greats such as George Best and Harry Gregg," said Davis.

"It was always a privilege to represent my country and the people of Northern Ireland. To receive an accolade like this is incredible."

Ex-Leeds United winger Dallas picked up 62 international caps for his country.

Dallas is no stranger to the NIFWA Awards - he was named Player and Young Player of the Year in 2011.

"I have fond memories of winning Player of the Year during my time with Crusaders," said Dallas.

"It's an honour to return to the awards all these years later, to join the Hall of Fame."

The Hall of Fame honour celebrates journalist Brodie's involvement in Northern Ireland football, which included covering 14 World Cup tournaments before his death in 2013 at the age of 86.

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur forward Jamie Donley is set to be called up to the Northern Ireland senior squad for the first time.

The 20-year-old will be drafted into Michael O'Neill's squad for friendlies against Switzerland at home on Friday and against Sweden away on Tuesday, 25 March.

Donley was born in Antrim and has previously played for NI and England at youth level, captaining England Under-19s.

The process for his international transfer from England to Northern Ireland is under way with Fifa, but he can make his debut in these games as they are friendlies.

Donley is currently on loan at League One side Leyton Orient where he has scored seven goals in 30 games, while his stunning long-range effort against Manchester City in the FA Cup led to an own goal.

He made his Premier League debut in December 2023 for Spurs against City and has made three further appearances for the club.

Image source, Getty Images

Conor Bradley will remain sidelined for a "few weeks" with a muscle injury, according to Liverpool boss Arne Slot.

The 21-year-old Northern Ireland defender was forced off during Liverpool's Premier League draw with Aston Villa on 19 February.

Having missed the league leaders' win over Manchester City on Sunday, Slot was unable to provide a timeline for Bradley's return.

"I cannot exactly tell how many [weeks he will miss]," Slot said ahead of Liverpool's game against Newcastle on Wednesday.

"It's clear he went off with a muscle injury and it's going to take a while before he's back."

Bradley's injury raises doubts that he will regain fitness in time for Northern Ireland's friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden on 21 and 25 March.

Bradley has won 23 caps for Northern Ireland and captained the team for the first time in October.

Image source, PACEMAKER

Tanya Oxtoby says the Irish Football Association's development of a new National Training Centre at Galgorm would be 'massively helpful".

It was revealed on Monday that the centre will be located next to the Galgorm Resort, just outside Ballymena

It would include elite pitches and facilities for men's and women's senior and youth teams, with planning permission being sought.

"It's massively helpful - we speak about it all the time, trying to create a high-performing environment," said Oxtoby ahead of Tuesday night's Nations Cup game against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"You've seen it with nations who have built training centres for their national teams – feeling like its yours and knowing what you're getting every single time you turn up and ultimately I suppose get the best performance for your playing group.

"That's what we're about so for us it's exciting, we're really looking forward to it."

Northern Ireland captain Simone Magill believes the training centre will help develop players.

"It's definitely something that we'll welcome," said the Birmingham City striker.

"If I look at my experiences of being in elite environments and facilities it just shows the dedication that the Association has to make things better and have those elite facilities here in Northern Ireland.

"For young players growing up to have something like that is only going to help develop the game here. Other countries already have those things and we don't want to fall behind here."