Georgia host Northern Ireland in their League B2 opener in the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League.
Georgia remain in League B after they won their promotion-relegation play-off tie against Armenia by a 9-1 aggregate result.
Northern Ireland meanwhile topped their League C group in the 2024-25 edition to secure promotion to League B for this edition.
Team News
Georgia will be without Irakli Azarovi and Otar Mamageishvili due to unspecified injuries, with Saba Kharebashvili, Saba Lobzhanidze and Vladimir Mamuchashvili respectively.
Northern Ireland will be without midfielder, Jamie McDonnell due to a hamstring injury.
When is Kick-Off?
Georgia host Northern Ireland at Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, on Friday 25 September at 8pm GET (5pm BST), live on BBC Two across the UK.
Stat Attack
- This is Georgia’s first UEFA Nations League meeting against Northern Ireland.
- Northern Ireland are making their first visit to Georgia in all competitions.
- Georgia lost their only previous meeting against Northern Ireland by a 4-1 away result in a friendly in March 2008.
- Georgia are yet to lose a match in 2026 across all competitions (W2, D2), with both wins having been by 2-0 results against Lithuania and Bahrain respectively.
- Northern Ireland have won just one match in 2026 in all competitions (W1, D1, L2).
Prediction
Having not properly tested themselves against fairly decent opposition this year aside from their 1-1 friendly draw against Romania in June, Georgia know that this will probably be a tough test to kick off a pretty open group because they, Hungary, Northern Ireland and Ukraine are capable of promotion to League A.
Northern Ireland though have kept a single clean sheet this year but with their midfield and attack having started the season well at their clubs, I hope that they can try and bring some of that quality onto the international stage if want to win this tricky opener.
Either way both teams won’t want to lose this but it’s probably more imperative for Northern Ireland to get a solid result with Hungary next up, so I can see a point apiece brewing.
Prediction: Georgia 1-1 Northern Ireland