Northern Ireland World Cup 2026 Squad Revealed: Michael O’Neill’s Shocking Picks Spark Controversy Ahead of Crucial Qualifiers
Northern Ireland must qualify the hard way, not only as underdogs twice but away from home in both the semi-final and the final. O’Neill is without his injured captain to boot.
There’s plenty of experience in the squad regardless: eight of the 28 players called up in March have 30 caps or more.
Squad
Northern Ireland World Cup 2026 squad: The March selection
- GK: Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Blackpool)
- GK: Conor Hazard (Plymouth Argyle)
- GK: Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday)
- GK: Josh Clarke (Partick Thistle)
- DF: Terry Devlin (Portsmouth)
- DF: Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers)
- DF: Dan Ballard (Sunderland)
- DF: Trai Hume (Sunderland)
- DF: Ruairi McConville (Norwich City)
- DF: Paddy McNair (Hull City)
- DF: Brodie Spencer (Oxford United)
- DF: Ciaron Brown (Oxford United)
- MF: George Saville (Luton Town)
- MF: Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City)
- MF: Jamie Donley (Oxford United)
- MF: Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion)
- MF: Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace)
- MF: Ali McCann (Preston North End)
- MF: Shea Charles (Southampton)
- MF: Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock)
- MF: Jamie McDonnell (Oxford United)
- MF: Patrick Kelly (Barnsley)
- MF: Kieran Morrison (Liverpool)
- FW: Callum Marshall (Bochum)
- FW: Dion Charles (Huddersfield Town)
- FW: Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers)
- FW: Jamie Reid (Stevenage)
- FW: Josh Magennis (Exeter City)
Fixtures and results
Fixtures:
- March 26, 2026: Italy vs Northern Ireland, New Balance Arena, Bergamo, Italy
Recent results:
- November 17, 2025: Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg, Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- November 14: Slovakia 1-0 Northern Ireland, Kosicka futbalova arena, Kosice
- October 13: Northern Ireland 0-1 Germany, Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- October 10: Northern Ireland 2-0 Slovakia, Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- September 7: Germany 3-1 Northern Ireland, RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany
- September 4: Luxembourg 1-3 Northern Ireland, Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City
Manager
Who is Northern Ireland’s manager?
56-year-old Michael O’Neill is in the unusual position of pursuing a place at World Cup 2026 while embroiled in a relegation battle at club level at the very same time.
O’Neill has been back at the Northern Ireland helm since 2022 and was appointed as the interim successor to Valerien Ismael in the manager’s role at Championship strugglers Blackburn Rovers in February.
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