Arsenal's O'Neill retained by Northern Ireland despite Republic interest

Northern Ireland has confirmed Ceadach O'Neill and Braiden Graham in their squad for the upcoming Nations League campaign, which features four matches across an 11-day window. O'Neill, 18, an Arsenal forward, earned his first two caps in June friendlies against Guinea and France and remains a target for the Republic of Ireland due to his dual eligibility.

Under FIFA rules, players may switch national teams once if they have played no more than three matches for their initial country and are under 21. O'Neill currently has two caps for Northern Ireland. If he appears in two or more of the upcoming Nations League games—against Georgia (twice), Hungary, and Ukraine—he will become ineligible to declare for the Republic. Manager Michael O'Neill is understood to be keen to secure O'Neill's commitment through competitive appearances. O'Neill is currently injured but has been named in the expanded 28-player squad.

The squad also includes returning defenders Dan Ballard, Paddy McNair, Terry Devlin, and Eoin Toal, as well as goalkeepers Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Conor Hazard. Notable absences include Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley, who remains sidelined following knee surgery in January, Preston North End's Ali McCann, and Aberdeen's Brad Lyons. Northern Ireland begin their 2026 Nations League B campaign—following promotion from the third tier—with an away trip to Georgia on 25 September and conclude on 5 October. The quadruple-header also includes fixtures against Hungary in Belfast and Ukraine in Slovakia.

The Republic of Ireland has demonstrated sustained interest in young dual-eligible players. Head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson will announce Ireland's squad for Nations League matches against Kosovo, Israel, and Austria. O'Neill comes from a GAA background; his uncles Eoin and Paddy played inter-county football for Derry. Recent dual-eligible players including James McClean and Shane Duffy ultimately chose to represent the Republic, though Liverpool's Conor Bradley opted for Northern Ireland.