Sports Mole previews Thursday’s World Cup Qualifying – Europe clash between Luxembourg and Northern Ireland, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Northern Ireland will begin another World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday, with an away game against Luxembourg providing their first Group A fixture.
Nearly four decades since their last appearance on the global stage, they hope to build on recent results and ultimately book a place at next summer’s finals.
Match preview
The 2026 World Cup will mark 40 years since Northern Ireland last featured at FIFA’s top tournament – and it will also be one decade on from their appearance at Euro 2016.
In the intervening years, they have largely struggled, but blooding young players while winning their most recent UEFA Nations League group has bred confidence in the camp.
Furthermore, while the winner of each World Cup qualifying group automatically secures a spot at the finals, and runners-up progress to the playoffs, four Nations League group-winners who do not finish in the top two will get another chance.
Aiming to make it through one way or the other, Northern Ireland have won seven of their last 15 matches, including a 1-0 friendly win over Iceland in June. That represents significant progress under Michael O’Neill, who memorably led them to the Euros during his first spell as manager.
Qualifying started for most European countries in March, but O’Neill’s men have had to wait almost another six months to get up and running. Heading into his third World Cup campaign, he faces a particularly tough task, with Slovakia and Germany also taking part in Group A.
Before travelling to Cologne this weekend, Northern Ireland will reconvene with Luxembourg less than a year since their last meeting: the teams drew 2-2 in the Nations League last November.
On that occasion, Luxembourg cancelled out a two-goal deficit in the closing stages, but to date they have won just one of seven games against Thursday’s visitors.
This time, Les Lions Rouges would love to repeat the result from that famous 3-2 home victory back in 2013, when the pair fought for points on the road to Brazil.
However, they have more recently gone seven competitive matches without a win, equalling their longest such run since 2017.
Form in friendlies has also been mixed: after starting 2025 with an unexpected success against Sweden, they subsequently lost to Slovakia and Switzerland, before holding the Republic of Ireland to a goalless draw.
Luxembourg now meet opponents from north of the Irish border, for a clash that surely offers their best chance of claiming maximum points in Group A.
Luxembourg form (all competitions): L D W L L D
Northern Ireland form (all competitions): W D D L L W
Team News
Increasing Michael O’Neill’s woes, Paul Smyth has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad through injury, adding his name to a long absence list.
O’Neill was already without defenders Daniel Ballard, Brodie Spencer and Ciaron Brown, midfielder Jordan Thompson, plus goalkeepers Pierce Charles and Conor Hazard.
So, Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been recalled and will contend with Luke Southwood to start between the posts; uncapped trio Kofi Balmer, Ryan Johnson and Jamie McDonnell have also been drafted in.
While Isaac Price has scored seven goals in his last seven international appearances, Luxembourg’s main threat comes from St Pauli striker Danel Sinani, as Gerson Rodrigues – who scored against Northern Ireland last autumn – is still serving a ban imposed by the Luxembourg Football Federation.
Experienced goalkeeper Anthony Moris – who recently moved to the Saudi Pro League – has returned, though, after declining a call-up in June.
Yvandro Borges Sanches is also back: having recovered from injury, the Borussia Monchengladback forward features in Jeff Strasser‘s first squad since taking the reins from Luc Holtz.
Luxembourg possible starting lineup: Moris; Dzogovic, Korac, Carlson, Jans; Bohnert, Barreiro, Moreira, V. Thill; Sanches, Sinani
Northern Ireland possible starting lineup: Peacock-Farrell; McConville, McNair, Hume; Bradley, McCann, S. Charles, Saville; Galbraith, Price; D. Charles
We say: Luxembourg 1-1 Northern Ireland
Despite being ranked 21 places below their first Group A opponents by FIFA, Luxembourg can certainly cause Northern Ireland some problems.
In fact, the home side should be able to claim a point from their opening fixture, making a good start to life under new management.
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