With half of the matches played in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, three teams are level on six points, setting up a high-stakes clash between Northern Ireland and Germany at Windsor Park. The hosts come into this fixture buoyed by a strong 2-0 win over Slovakia a result that helped them recover from their 3-1 loss to Germany in September and reignited their qualification hopes, Softfootball reports.
Michael O'Neill's men have now won three of their last four internationals and remain unbeaten at home since October 2023. That impressive record gives them plenty of belief heading into this fixture, especially with the home crowd at Windsor Park known for generating one of the most passionate atmospheres in European football.
Germany, on the other hand, lead the group on goal difference , but haven't always been convincing. Their 4-0 victory over Luxembourg last week saw them take advantage of an early red card but failed to significantly boost their goal difference in what could become a tightly contested group.