Northern Ireland can win Nations League A promotion on Saturday
Michael O'Neill's side could go up for the first time if Hungary lose in Georgia and they then beat Ukraine at Windsor Park.
Northern Ireland could secure promotion to Nations League A for the first time on Saturday, but only if Hungary lose to Georgia and they then beat Ukraine at Windsor Park, BBC Sport reports.
Hungary play Georgia in Tbilisi at 17:00 GMT. Northern Ireland host Ukraine in the later game, with kick-off at 19:45 GMT on Saturday, 14 November.
A change of fortunes
Before this campaign, Northern Ireland had won only one of their 16 games in the second tier. Michael O'Neill's side have since taken eight points from four matches in September and October, without conceding a goal.
What has to go right
The permutations are simple. A Hungary defeat in Georgia, followed by a Northern Ireland win over Ukraine, would take them up on Saturday night.
If Hungary do not lose, a home win would still leave Northern Ireland in control. They would travel to Budapest on Tuesday night needing only a point to top the group and go up.
A draw against Ukraine would guarantee a top-two finish in the group.
Bigger rewards
Finishing in the top two would put Northern Ireland among the second group of seeds for the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, which will be held in Belfast next month.
There is also a possible backdoor route into the qualification play-offs. That is how Northern Ireland came to be two games away from this summer's World Cup despite finishing third in their group.
O'Neill also believes promotion would show his players what it takes to reach the very top, though he warned that stepping up is hard.
"You do look at the teams that do step up and it's tough."
"We've seen teams do that before and they find it very difficult," O'Neill said, after stressing that his focus was only on the first game of the double-header.
He added that facing the leading sides in a competitive group would help the team's development: "I think we'd learn a lot."
O'Neill has previously arranged friendlies against Spain and France. Didier Deschamps, then France coach, praised him for agreeing to play France on the eve of the World Cup when others had been reluctant.
