Northern Ireland vs Slovakia – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Northern Ireland and Slovakia face off in a pivotal FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier at Windsor Park on Friday night.

Both sides are looking to maintain momentum in Group A, with Slovakia currently leading the table after their shock victory over Germany, while Northern Ireland sit second following their impressive start to the campaign.

Northern Ireland vs Slovakia – Match Preview and Team News

Northern Ireland Team News

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has welcomed back several key players for this crucial double-header. Veteran striker Josh Magennis returns to the squad for the first time since November 2024. The 35-year-old Exeter City forward has scored four goals in nine League One matches this season, earning his recall to add depth to O’Neill’s attacking options.

Daniel Ballard, Conor Hazard, Brodie Spencer, Ciaron Brown and Paul Smyth are all back from injury, significantly strengthening the squad. Rangers winger Ross McCausland also returns after recovering from fitness issues and is currently on loan at Aris Limassol in Cyprus. However, O’Neill will be without goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who remains sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Slovakia Team News

Slovakia face a significant blow with the absence of key midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, who has been sent home from international duty due to an adductor muscle injury sustained during Napoli’s match against Genoa. The injury is expected to keep him out for 3-4 weeks, ruling him out of both World Cup qualifiers this month.

Francesco Calzona’s squad also misses defenders Denis Vavro and David Hancko through injury, while veteran right-back Peter Pekarík is dealing with a shoulder problem. Despite these setbacks, Slovakia have maintained their strong defensive record, keeping four clean sheets in its last five competitive fixtures.

Form

Northern Ireland

Michael O’Neill’s side has shown resilience in their World Cup qualifying campaign despite mixed results. They opened with an impressive 3-1 victory away to Luxembourg, with goals from Jamie Reid, Shea Charles and Justin Devenny demonstrating their attacking threat. However, they were subsequently defeated 3-1 by Germany in Cologne, though they competed admirably against the four-time world champions for large periods.

At home, Northern Ireland have been impressive, remaining undefeated in their last seven matches at Windsor Park. This fortress-like record includes six victories and one draw, with the team keeping clean sheets in seven of their last ten home fixtures.

Slovakia

Slovakia have made a stunning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, sitting top of Group A with two victories from two matches. Their standout result was a shock 2-0 home victory over Germany, with goals from David Hancko and David Strelec inflicting only the fourth World Cup qualifying defeat in German history.

Francesco Calzona’s side followed up with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Luxembourg, though they needed a 90th-minute strike from substitute Tomas Rigo to secure the points. Despite some unconvincing performances earlier in 2025, Slovakia have found their rhythm when it matters most.

Predicted Lineups

Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell; Hume, McNair, Ballard; Bradley, McCann, S. Charles, Devenny; Galbraith, Price; Reid.

Slovakia: Dubravka; Gyomber, Satka, Skriniar, Hancko; Duda, Lobotka, Bero; Haraslin, Strelec, Sauer.

How to Watch Northern Ireland vs Slovakia?

UK fans can watch the game live on BBC Two, BBC One NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

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