Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill says the club’s goal is to deserve the 2026 World Cup.
O’Neill will face Luxembourg and Slovakia and the winners of the World League on Saturday between Germany and Italy when the qualifiers kick off in September.
The winner of Group A will automatically be worthy of the final in the United States, Mexico and Canada, while the second place will come to the rank of Off.
Northern Ireland is still able to win the stairs by ending the second quarter as the winner of last year’s Nations League group, but will need other teams, above them to deserve it.
“Closing has been able to secure at least a staircase place for the World Cup, which is what we have to do,” O’Neill said.
“There is no use to tell the boys it will be very good if we get third place because it doesn’t.
Northern Ireland faces the Swiss in Belfast and will travel to Sweden on Tuesday. They will also play Iceland and another game against an unannounced rival in June
With that idea, O’Neill says it’s important to be “competitive” to try and make sure the club are at the best way to start the qualifying.
“We want to play somewhere at the World Cup, whether it’s through a off or if we can have an amazing group and dominate one of the greatest nations,” he said.
“It’s a big question, but we have to want to do that and give the players to the players who are trying to achieve and achieve them,” he said.