World Cup Qualifiers: Northern Ireland's Preparation Matches

Northern Ireland will face Denmark in a friendly match on June 7, ahead of their game against Iceland on June 10 at Windsor Park, as part of their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers starting in September. This decision follows Denmark's defeat by Portugal in the Nations League quarter-finals, where Portugal secured a semi-final spot with a 5-3 aggregate victory. Meanwhile, Germany, who overcame Italy with a 5-4 aggregate win in the same tournament, will be Northern Ireland's formidable opponents in World Cup Qualifying Group A. The qualifiers will see Germany as top seeds in a group that also includes Slovakia and Luxembourg. Northern Ireland, led by Michael O'Neill, are underdogs but are eager to tackle these challenging fixtures. Only the winners of each group will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with runners-up entering play-offs for a chance at four additional spots.