Northern Ireland's Squad for Nations League: Youth and Experience Combined
Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill has doubled down on youth and experience for a demanding Nations League window, keeping teenage prospects Ceadach O'Neill and Braiden Graham in a 28-man squad for a brutal four-game, 11-day run.
The Arsenal midfielder and Everton forward both earned their first senior call-ups for June friendlies against Guinea and France. Ceadach O'Neill, still only 18, featured in both matches and has clearly done enough to convince O'Neill he belongs at this level. Graham keeps his place too, a sign that the manager is serious about refreshing the squad while the stakes begin to rise again.
Big hitters return for Nations League push
The summer friendlies came without several established names. That changes now.
Dan Ballard, Paddy McNair, Terry Devlin and Eoin Toal are all back in the defensive unit after missing the June games, restoring depth and familiarity to the back line just as the competition sharpens.
Behind them, Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Conor Hazard return to the goalkeeping department having not featured in the summer window, while Bolton Wanderers striker Dion Charles is also recalled to bolster the attack.
There is another notable inclusion. Dundee United defender Michael Forbes, who won his only previous cap against Finland in 2023, is back in the fold and handed a fresh chance to stake a claim.
Injury absences bite
Not everyone is returning to the green shirt just yet.
Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley, sidelined since January following knee surgery, remains out and will not feature in this Nations League block. He is joined on the absentee list by Preston North End midfielder Ali McCann and Aberdeen’s Brad Lyons, both ruled out and leaving gaps in midfield and the wider squad balance.
Those injuries help explain the size of O'Neill’s selection. After naming just 23 players for the June window, he has gone with 28 this time, bracing for fatigue, knocks and tactical tweaks across a relentless schedule.
On standby, the manager has also lined up goalkeepers Luke Southwood and Josh Clarke, along with striker Jamie Reid, ready to step in if required.
Gruelling schedule in League B
Northern Ireland step back into competitive action in Nations League B after last year’s promotion from the third tier, and the calendar is unforgiving.
They open away to Georgia on 25 September, a tricky first assignment on the road. The window closes with the same opponents, this time in Belfast on 5 October, bookending the campaign’s start with a double-header that could define their trajectory.
Between those fixtures, O'Neill’s side host Hungary at home in Belfast and then face Ukraine in Slovakia, a neutral venue test that adds another layer of complication to an already packed itinerary.
Four matches. Eleven days. A squad blending hardened regulars with hungry teenagers.
O'Neill has made his choices. Now the question is whether this mix can handle the climb in level and turn promise into points in Nations League B.
