Northern Ireland take on the visitors Germany in a World Cup 2026 qualification match. The match will be played on Monday, October 13th at Windsor Park (Belfast).
Northern Ireland hope to make their mark again, but the competition in this group is extremely tough. The “Norn Iron” reached their peak under this very manager: they qualified for Euro 2016 and even advanced to the knockout stage there. However, subsequent campaigns were far less successful, including after O’Neill’s return to the dugout. Still, last autumn they reminded everyone of their potential by winning their Nations League group — finishing ahead of Bulgaria, Belarus, and Luxembourg with 11 points, enough for first place. In the current qualification cycle, they also began strongly, defeating the “Lions” from the Grand Duchy with confidence. But then came Germany, and there was simply no contest. They opened this month facing the surprise leaders Slovakia — and shocked everyone with a 2-0 victory. That match turned when Grosovsky scored an own goal in the 18th minute, giving Northern Ireland the upper hand early on. O’Neill’s team looked much more disciplined than in previous rounds, defending compactly and taking full advantage of counterattacks. Still, consistency remains their biggest challenge, especially against top-tier opponents like Germany.
| 2 x £10 Free Bet | Review | |||
| 100$-500$ for No Lose Free Bets | Review | |||
| 100% up to £200 | Review | |||
| Not available | Review |
Germany, since winning the World Cup in 2014, have largely wasted the following decade. Flick’s tenure was a disaster, but Nagelsmann managed to turn things around, leading the side to a bright Euro campaign — though they were ultimately stopped by an incredible Spain — and qualification for the Nations League finals. There, however, they lost to both Portugal and France, and that too on home soil! After opening this qualifying stage with a 0-2 defeat in Slovakia, critics began talking about another deep slump. Thankfully, they quickly steadied themselves with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in that same window. This time, they started against their modest neighbor Luxembourg and had no problems — by the 20th minute it was already 2-0, with the underdog reduced to ten men. They scored twice more before easing off to a 4-0 final score. Germany’s attacking movement has looked fluid again, with Musiala and Wirtz in great form, while the defense seems more reliable after tactical adjustments. Still, Nagelsmann knows that even a small stumble now could reignite doubts about his project.
The 3-1 result in September marked the 10th consecutive victory for “Die Mannschaft” against these British opponents. It’s clear that the visitors should win — and not by a narrow margin. The bet is on Germany with a handicap of “-1.5 goals.”
Prediction for the match: Germany to win with -1.5 handicap.
