Daniel Ballard is out of Northern Ireland’s squad for this week’s FIFA World Cup 2026 play-off semi-final against Italy.
The Sunderland defender picked up a hamstring injury when playing for the Black Cats against Brighton and Hove Albion on 14 March and missed yesterday’s Tyne-Wear derby win over Newcastle United.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, however, has bolstered his defensive options by handing Blackburn Rovers defender Tom Atcheson his first senior call-up ahead of the play-off game against the Italians in Bergamo on Thursday (26 March).
Atcheson, who has come up through the ranks at Blackburn, has previously played for Northern Ireland at Under-21, U19, U18 and U17 level.
The 19-year-old defender has played eight first team games for Rovers this season and started the 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship on Saturday.
Atcheson has stepped up from Northern Ireland’s Under-21s, who are playing Germany and Latvia in Euro qualifiers this month.
All 27 of the other players named in Michael O'Neill's original squad for this week's play-off have reported for international duty - and will be training in Liverpool today.
As a result of Atcheson's senior call-up Northern Ireland U21s boss Tommy Wright has brought in Larne defender Logan Wallace and Bangor defender Harry Lynch to bolster his squad.
Wallace (20), who can operate at right back or as a central defender, has played 27 first team games for Larne to date. He’s a former Northern Ireland U18 Schools international.
Former Northern Ireland U19 international Lynch (19) is a central defender. Bangor signed him on a two-year deal from Glenavon last summer and he has started all but two games for Bangor this season.
Waterford midfielder Sam Glenfield has dropped out of the U21s squad due to injury.
Northern Ireland’s U21s are set to take on Germany at the Eintracht Stadion in Braunschweig on Friday 27 March (5pm start GMT) followed by a game against Latvia at Daugava Stadium in Riga on Tuesday 31 March (12 noon kick-off BST).
Wright’s side currently sit third in Group F in the 2025-27 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying group stage. They have seven points after winning two, drawing one and losing two in their five group games to date. Latvia are fourth with four points.
Greece top the group with a 100 per cent record (15 points), while Germany have 12 points after four wins and a defeat.
