International qualifiers are tournaments to thin the field of teams competing in a major soccer championship. They generally involve several rounds of matches and a variety of formats, and the winning team in each round gains access to the final tournament. The runners-up can gain entry through a play-off, or in the case of the World Cup, an intercontinental playoff spot.

The September international break sees 25 of our professional and Academy players join their national teams, with 2026 World Cup qualifiers, friendly games and a European Nations League match on the agenda. Isaac Price made his Northern Ireland debut after almost two years out with a knee injury, and his goal helped the team to a 3-1 win against Germany in Frankfurt. It leaves Northern Ireland second in Group A, just three points behind Slovakia, and they face both Luxembourg and Germany next month.

In Europe, the qualification process began on March 21, with 55 European nations participating. The teams were split into twelve groups of four or five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches, with the group winners qualifying for the World Cup. The runners-up advance to a fifth-round play-off tie in November 2025, which will determine the final two places at the tournament.

In Oceania, the qualification process started in March – with some teams not playing their first qualifier yet due to participation in UEFA’s Nations League – and will conclude in November. New Zealand won the first round, and will qualify for the World Cup, with the runner-up, New Caledonia, advancing to an inter-confederation play-off against teams from Africa and Asia.