Northern Ireland host Ukraine in a crunch League B2 showdown in the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League.
Should Hungary lose to Georgia in the early-evening kick-off, victory would see Northern Ireland secure promotion to League A, otherwise a win would put Michael O’Neill’s Green Army heading into their final group match away to Hungary.
Ukraine meanwhile will stay third irrespective of the result, but victory coupled with a loss for Hungary would keep their automatic promotion dreams alive into the final day of the group.
Team News
Ceadach O’Neill has withdrawn from Northern Ireland’s squad after the forward suffered an unspecified injury.
Ukraine will be without forwards, Oleksandr Zubkov and Matviy Ponomarenko due to respective leg and unspecified injuries.
When is Kick-Off?
Northern Ireland host Ukraine at Windsor Park, Belfast, on Saturday 14 November at 7:45pm GMT, live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Northern Ireland won 3-0 in their only previous Nations League meeting against Ukraine.
- Ukraine are making their first Nations League trip to Northern Ireland, but are winless in two previous visits in all competitions (D1, L1).
- Northern Ireland are the only team yet to concede in this season’s Nations League.
- Ukraine are unbeaten in their two previous away games in the group (W1, D1), albeit without conceding in both matches.
Prediction
With no goals conceded in their opening four matches in this group, Northern Ireland know that this is absolutely must win if they want to go to Hungary with promotion in their own hands so they really just need to keep doing what they’ve done so far but be more clinical.
Ukraine meanwhile know that this is absolutely must-win if they at least want to make the play-offs but they need to bring more firepower, of which had been largely absent in their first four group games across which they netted just twice.
I however do think that Northern Ireland will be too strong at home if they can bring more clinical end product because this is a massive chance to put their fate in their own hands, especially in front of a packed home crowd who will want to get a win to take into a tricky trip to Hungary.
Prediction: Northern Ireland 2-0 Ukraine