O'Neill keeps Ceadach O'Neill and Braiden Graham in Northern Ireland squad for Nations League window
Michael O'Neill has retained Arsenal's Ceadach O'Neill and Everton's Braiden Graham in Northern Ireland's squad for the upcoming 2026 Nations League quadruple-header, announced on 15 September 2026. The teenage pair were first called into the senior squad for June friendlies against Guinea and France, with the Arsenal 18-year-old appearing in both games.
Defenders Dan Ballard, Paddy McNair, Terry Devlin and Eoin Toal return to the squad after missing the June internationals. Goalkeepers Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Conor Hazard, plus striker Dion Charles, are also back after not featuring in the summer. Michael Forbes has been included in the squad; the Dundee United defender won his only previous cap against Finland in 2023.
Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley, who has not played since January after knee surgery, remains absent from selection. He has been joined on the sidelines by Preston North End midfielder Ali McCann and Aberdeen's Brad Lyons. Manager Michael O'Neill named a larger squad to cope with the fixture congestion.
After promotion from the third tier last year, Northern Ireland begin their 2026 Nations League B campaign with an away match in Georgia on 25 September and conclude that window at home to the same opposition on 5 October. In between those fixtures they face Hungary in Belfast and Ukraine in Slovakia. With four games scheduled in an 11-day span, O'Neill has called up 28 players after selecting 23 for the previous international window in June.
O'Neill has also named goalkeepers Pierce Charles (Queens Park Rangers, on loan from Manchester City), Conor Hazard (Wycombe Wanderers) and Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Blackpool) in the squad. The defensive group comprises Tom Atcheson (Blackburn Rovers), Ruairi McConville (Norwich City), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Brodie Spencer (Oxford United), Dan Ballard (Sunderland), Paddy McNair (Hull City), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), Terry Devlin (Portsmouth) and Michael Forbes (Dundee United).
Midfield selections are Jordan Thompson (Preston North End), Shea Charles (Fulham), Jamie McDonnell (Oxford United), Justin Devenny (Stoke City), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion), Patrick Kelly (Barnsley), Ethan Galbraith (Stoke City) and Kieran Morrison (Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Liverpool). The forwards named are Josh Magennis (Stevenage), Jamie Donley (Luton Town, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Dion Charles (Blackpool, on loan from Huddersfield Town), Callum Marshall (Luton Town), Ceadach O'Neill (Arsenal) and Braiden Graham (Everton).
Manager Michael O'Neill has Luke Southwood and Josh Clarke listed as additional goalkeeper options and Jamie Reid on standby. Northern Ireland's Nations League matches run from 25 September to 17 November, and live coverage of all six of Northern Ireland's 2026 Nations League games will be on BBC NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, with radio coverage on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster.
