Northern Ireland vs Germany Preview

Belfast’s Windsor Park prepares to witness a monumental clash as the Green and White Army welcome one of European football’s most decorated nations in what promises to be a defining chapter in Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Northern Ireland host Germany on 13th October 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 19:45 GMT, as both sides continue their pursuit of a place at the 2026 World Cup. This encounter represents a crucial juncture for the hosts, who have shown remarkable resilience in recent weeks, while Die Mannschaft arrive seeking to maintain their momentum in what has been an inconsistent qualifying campaign. The intimate confines of Windsor Park, renowned for its ferocious atmosphere and unwavering support, could prove to be a significant factor as Northern Ireland look to cause an upset against one of international football’s traditional powerhouses.

Northern Ireland’s recent form has been a tale of fluctuating fortunes, but their latest performance offers genuine cause for optimism. The hosts secured a vital 2-0 victory over Slovakia on October 10th, a result that breathed new life into their qualification hopes and demonstrated their ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most. This triumph came after a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Germany in their previous World Cup qualifier on September 7th, a match that exposed the gulf in quality between the sides but also showcased Northern Ireland’s fighting spirit. Earlier in September, they demonstrated their competitive edge with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Luxembourg, while their summer friendlies produced mixed results – a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Iceland tempered by a 2-1 defeat to Denmark. The head-to-head record makes for sobering reading, with Germany having won all five of the last five encounters, including comprehensive victories like the 6-1 thrashing in November 2019 and the 2-0 triumph in October 2016. However, Northern Ireland’s recent victory over Slovakia proves they possess the quality and determination to challenge any opponent on their own turf.

Germany arrive in Belfast with renewed confidence after bouncing back from a difficult period with consecutive World Cup qualifying victories. Die Mannschaft demolished Luxembourg 4-0 on October 10th, a performance that showcased their attacking prowess and ability to control matches against lesser opposition. Their 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in September demonstrated their quality in front of their home fans, while their inconsistent Nations League campaign – featuring defeats to France (2-0 in June) and Portugal (2-1 in June), alongside a shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia in September – suggests vulnerabilities that Northern Ireland may look to exploit. The statistical comparison reveals Germany’s superiority across most metrics, with their younger, taller squad averaging 1.7 shots per game and superior aerial duel success rate of 58% highlight their dominance. However, Northern Ireland’s key absences will test their depth – Ciaron Brown and Pierce Charles are both ruled out through injury, Conor Bradley suspended after his yellow card against Slovakia, and Ethan Galbraith doubtful. Germany also face defensive concerns with Antonio Rüdiger and Jamie Leweling sidelined, while Julian Nagelsmann could make defensive changes and Nick Woltemade should retain his attacking position. Fans across Great Britain can watch this compelling encounter on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, and BBC Northern Ireland, while German viewers can tune in via RTL or RTL+, Irish audiences can access coverage through BBC iPlayer and Virgin Media Two, and American supporters can stream on fuboTV or Amazon Prime Video.

Possible Line-Ups

Northern Ireland (3-5-2)
Peacock-Farrell; Ballard, Devenny, McNair; Hume, Charles, Spencer, Price, McCann; Reid, Charles

Germany (4-2-3-1)
Kimmich; Anton, Pavlovic, Gnarby, Raum; Baumann, Wirtz; Tah, Goretzka, Adeyemi; Burkardt

🇬🇧 Northern Ireland Recent Form

Last Five Games				Competition	W/D/L
Northern Ireland	2 – 0	Slovakia	Oct 10, 2025	World Cup Qualifying	✓
Germany	3 – 1	Northern Ireland	Sep 7, 2025	World Cup Qualifying	❌
Luxembourg	1 – 3	Northern Ireland	Sep 4, 2025	World Cup Qualifying	✓
Northern Ireland	1 – 0	Iceland	Jun 10, 2025	International Friendly	✓
Denmark	2 – 1	Northern Ireland	Jun 7, 2025	International Friendly	❌

🇩🇪 Germany Recent Form

Last Five Games				Competition	W/D/L
Germany	4 – 0	Luxembourg	Oct 10, 2025	World Cup Qualifying	✓
Germany	3 – 1	Northern Ireland	Sep 7, 2025	World Cup Qualifying	✓
Slovakia	2 – 0	Germany	Sep 4, 2025	World Cup Qualifying	❌
Germany	0 – 2	France	Jun 8, 2025	Nations League	❌
Germany	1 – 2	Portugal	Jun 4, 2025	Nations League	❌

⚔️ Head to Head Record

Last Five Games				Competition
Germany	3 – 1	Northern Ireland	Sep 7, 2025	World Cup Qualifying
Germany	6 – 1	Northern Ireland	Nov 19, 2019	European Championship
Northern Ireland	0 – 2	Germany	Sep 9, 2019	European Championship
Northern Ireland	1 – 3	Germany	Oct 5, 2017	World Cup Qualifying
Germany	2 – 0	Northern Ireland	Oct 11, 2016	World Cup Qualifying

📺 TV Listings / Streaming

Country	Broadcaster
🇬🇧 Great Britain	BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Web, BBC Northern Ireland
🇩🇪 Germany	RTL, RTL+
🇮🇪 Ireland	BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Web, Virgin Media Two, BBC Northern Ireland
🇺🇸 USA	fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video, FOX Sports App, FOX One
🇨🇦 Canada	DAZN Canada, Amazon Prime Video
🇦🇺 Australia	Stan Sport
🇧🇷 Brazil	Disney+ Premium Brazil, ESPN Brazil
🇵🇹 Portugal	Sport TV Multiscreen, Sport TV2
🇵🇱 Poland	Polsat Box Go, Polsat Sport Premium 1
🇫🇷 France	L’Équipe Live Foot