League B return, no Bradley and Kvaratskhelia challenge - NI talking points

The build-up to Northern Ireland's 2026 Nations League campaign has been dominated by the future of Ceadach O'Neill and the always thorny issue of eligibility. With the Arsenal forward included in Michael O'Neill's 28-man squad for this four-game window, the 18-year-old appears set to add to his two senior caps across the next two weeks, likely ruling out any future switch of international allegiance despite an approach from the Republic of Ireland. While one prominent storyline seems as if it will soon be put to bed, there is plenty more to look out for as Northern Ireland make their return to League B. NI squad only picked on merit - O'Neill O'Neill and Graham retain places in NI squad Four games in 11 days For the first time since June 2022, Northern Ireland will face four games in the same international window. Starting away to Georgia on 25 September and finishing at home to the same opposition on 5 October, in between Michael O'Neill's side will face Hungary at Windsor Park and Ukraine in Slovakia. The manager has named a 28-man panel for the games, compared to bringing 23 players along for June's double-header of friendlies against Guinea and France. O'Neill said the schedule was challenging but that his team "must deal" with the change given the four-game window will be used again this time next year in Euro 2028 qualifying. "I think for a smaller association, it poses more challenges if I'm honest. If a player picks up a calf strain the Saturday before we meet up, he's going to miss four games. It's a window that, I believe, is more beneficial for the bigger nations. "I'm sure within the period, players will get injured, two bookings and I think you're suspended as well. It will be challenging, but it's the way the window will be going forward." How will campaign set up Euro 2028 qualification? The campaign represents a step up in quality as well as quantity, not least when facing a player O'Neill calls one of the best in the world in Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, While Northern Ireland have sought friendlies against Spain, France, Sweden and Denmark across the past two and a half years, as well as facing Germany in World Cup qualifying, these will be the side's first games in the second tier of the Nations League since 2020. Topping a League C group also containing Luxembourg, Belarus and Bulgaria last time around was enough to ensure a backdoor route into the World Cup play-offs this year where Northern Ireland were beaten 2-0 by Italy in Bergamo. Naturally, promotion ensures securing such a safety net for Euro 2028 will be tougher, but League B status does mean a top-two finish in the group would see them in the second band of seeds for December's qualifying draw. "I do think it's a group that is quite well matched in terms of where the teams are," said O'Neill. "Obviously some of the teams are ranked a lot higher than us, I don't think we should be frightened by that. "I think the games will be extremely tough, but I think it's a great challenge." Finding moments of 'individual brilliance' Reflecting on his role with Fifa's Technical Study Group at the World Cup, O'Neill said it was noteworthy to see how many games "were decided by individual brilliance" rather that general superiority of winning teams. Once again, however, the manager will have to do without the player in his own squad most likely to produce such moments. While Isaac Price has been a more regular source of goals, Liverpool's Conor Bradley has a talismanic quality. Since the beginning of 2025, however, the 23-year-old has endured a luckless run to miss seven Northern Ireland's games through either injury or suspension. Still on the sidelines after January knee surgery, Bradley is expected to be absent for the entirety of this campaign, with O'Neill telling BBC Sport NI last month that it would be a "bonus" to see his captain before the start of Euro 2028 qualifying in March. Since a 1-0 win over Scotland in March 2024, the occasion of Bradley's first international goal, Northern Ireland have averaged 1.5 goals a game in 16 internationals with him in the side compared to just 0.7 goals per game in the seven he has missed. Finding a different creative spark in Bradley's absence will be key to the campaign. Progression expected from O'Neill's young side While there was naturally disappointment after that loss to Italy in March, there has long been a sense that this group's best chance of major tournament qualification lies in the years ahead. Of the starting XI that featured in Bergamo, only Hull City's 31-year-old defender Paddy McNair is older than 26. The average age of the 28-man squad named last week was just 24-years-old with a quartet of teenagers - Ceadach O'Neill, Kieran Morrison, Braiden Graham and Tom Atcheson - giving the panel an even more youthful look. In addition to McNair, the only two other players in the squad older than 30 are central striking options Dion Charles, 30, and Josh Magennis, 36. O'Neill, however, is expected to stick with the 21-year-old Jamie Donley up top as he continues to build for the qualification campaigns ahead. The Tottenham Hotspur player has scored twice in 10 caps and started the past five games for Northern Ireland, but he endured a difficult 2025-26 season at club level on loan at Stoke City and Oxford United. Despite featuring for Spurs during pre-season, he will spend this year with Luton Town, back on loan in League One where he impressed for Leyton Orient in 2024-25. "What happened with Jamie last year was not really of Jamie's doing," said O'Neill. "The game time at Stoke was, I think, unfair on the player, to be honest. The second loan he gets injured in his first game but the games he did play, he did well. "I think the thing for Jamie is just to play regularly. I think he's got all the attributes of a top, young player. He's still a Tottenham player on a long-term contract and I think he's gone to a good club (in Luton)."