World Cup 2026

Let’s address the elephant in the room…Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland won’t be at the World Cup 2026.

Aye. We know.

But if there’s one thing we’re good at, it’s not letting a small detail like not qualifying get in the way of enjoying the football.

Because whether you're in Belfast, Boston, Brisbane or Berlin, the World Cup still has a way of bringing people together. And sure, half the fun is deciding who you're supporting once your own team’s out of the picture.

So… who are we supporting then?

To be fair - sitting out the World Cup altogether simply isn’t an option. We’ll still be watching. We’ll still have opinions. And we’ll definitely still be shouting at the TV like it matters.

So if you’re not sure who to back, here’s a handy Northern Ireland guide to jumping on the right bandwagon.

Pick your side

You don’t need a formal connection - just a decent excuse.

• Got cousins in Canada? You’re sorted.
• Lived in Australia for a year? Close enough.
• Once flew through Amsterdam airport? The Netherlands it is.
• Like an underdog story? That’s your team!

We do love an underdog.

There’s always one team that wasn’t expected to do much… until they do. And suddenly, you’re fully invested.

You don’t need to explain it. Just pick them early, stick with them, and remind everyone you “called it first” when they make it to the quarter finals.

We’ll still bring a bit of Northern Ireland to it no matter who’s playing.

That might be:

• arguing over VAR 
• reminiscing about “what might have been”
• praying your team will win in the work sweepstake
• or just keeping the snacks and running commentary very much on-point

Wherever you are in the world, those wee habits travel with you.

It’s more than football

Big moments like the World Cup remind us how connected we all are, no matter where we’ve ended up.

You might not bump into another person from home every day but chances are, during a big match, you’ll hear a familiar accent, spot a familiar jersey, or strike up a conversation that starts with:

“Who are you supporting then?”

And just like that, you’re not that far from home after all.

So… who are you backing?

No Northern Ireland. No Ireland.

But plenty of reasons to watch, connect, and get involved. Pick a team, get behind them, and enjoy it. Even if you do jump ship halfway through (we won’t say a word).

Let us know who you’ll be cheering on - we’ll not judge… much!