Who stands between Northern Ireland and the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup will mark 40 years since Northern Ireland last played in football's biggest tournament.

It will also be 10 years since their last major tournament, which came at the Euros in France.

While qualifying for the 2026 edition started for the majority of teams in Europe over the past week, Northern Ireland will have to wait until September to kickstart their campaign.

Let's take a look at their route to the finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

The first stage of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is relatively straight forward.

A first-place finish in the 12 groups will automatically secure a spot at the finals, which will take place in USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer of 2026.

Teams that finish in second spot will progress to the play-off round, which is where things can become a little more complicated.

The second-placed teams from the 12 groups will be joined by the four best Nations League group winners who did not automatically qualify for the World Cup or for a play-off.

Northern Ireland are included in this, and we'll have more on that below.

The 16 teams in the play-offs will be split into four paths of four, and there will be semi-finals and a final.

The winner of those four finals will join the automatic qualifiers at the World Cup.

All clear? With that all sorted, who stands between Northern Ireland and a place at the finals? Let's take a look.

World ranking: 10 Manager: Julian Nagelsmann Captain: Joshua Kimmich

Away: 7 September Home: 13 October

Northern Ireland did not discover their final opponents in Group A until Germany defeated Italy a thrilling Nations League quarter-final on Sunday.

Germany will be favourites to progress as Group winners and automatically book their spot at the World Cup.

While Germany are not the force they perhaps once were, they cannot be underestimated and are endowed with world class players.

Germany, under Julian Nagelsmann, have looked imperious at times and only lost once in the entirety of 2024 - and that was to eventually Euro winners Spain.

The Germans will always have a special connection with Northern Ireland, largely thanks to the group game at Euro 2016 when Michael McGovern had the game of his life.

Germany won 1-0, but it could have been more if it wasn't for McGovern, who became a cult hero for the GAWA off the back of that performance.

They last played Northern Ireland in 2019 and ran out winners in both matches, with Marcel Halstenberg and Serge Gnabry netting in a 2-0 win at Windsor Park.

Michael Smith scored a superb early opener in Frankfurt in the reverse fixture, but that only sparked an angry response and Germany ran out comfortable 6-1 winners.

World ranking: 41 Manager: Francesco Calzona Captain: Milan Škriniar

Home: 10 October Away: 14 November

Just like Friday's friendly with Switzerland, Northern Ireland will face opponents who have a history of beating them to major tournaments.

Slovakia last faced NI back in a Euro 2020 play-off, when a Covid-reduced crowd saw Michal Duris hit an extra-time winner to break Northern Ireland's dream of qualifying for back-to-back Euros.

Northern Ireland will be looking for revenge and view the games against Slovakia as must-win if their World Cup dream is to be realised.

Slovakia are in pretty decent form, although they did lose their Nations League play-off 1-0 in aggregate to Slovenia and will remain in League C.

Led by Fenerbahce defender Milan Skriniar, they famously beat Belgium at Euro 2024, when they progressed from the group stages before being knocked out by eventual finalists England in the last-16.

World ranking: 92 Manager: Luc Holtz Captain: Laurent Jans

Away: 4 September Home: 17 November

Luxembourg are familiar opponents for Northern Ireland and the lowest ranked team in Group A.

O'Neill's side faced Luxembourg twice in the Nations League in the autumn, collecting a win and a draw.

While Northern Ireland will be favourites over the group's lowest seeds, Luxembourg are not the European minnows that they used to be.

Their danger was highlighted in Northern Ireland's final Nations League match, when Luxembourg clawed their way back from two goals down to secure a draw.

In fact, Luxembourg even beat Sweden on Friday, who Northern Ireland will face on Tuesday, which shows their continued progress - especially at home.

This is a long and convoluted process, but, in theory, yes.

As we touched on above, Northern Ireland's group-winning performance in the Nations League means there is still an outside path available to the World Cup.

In the ranking of the Nations League group winners, Northern Ireland are ranked in 12th place of 16 teams.

The teams above them are: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, England, Norway, Wales, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden and North Macedonia.

The four Nations League group winners who have not already qualified or made a play-off will be handed a route into the play-offs.

For O'Neill's side to secure a play-off spot through this route, they would require eight of those 11 teams to finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group.

Exactly who stands where might be clearer by the time Northern Ireland's delayed campaign begins in September, but finishing in the top two would simply take this convoluted process out of the equation.