Northern Ireland announce friendly with Hungary

Northern Ireland v Switzerland – FIFA World Cup 2022 – European Qualifying – Group C – Windsor Park
(Image credit: Liam McBurney)

Northern Ireland will play Hungary in a friendly in March as part of their preparations for the upcoming Nations League campaign.

The match will take place at Windsor Park in Belfast on March 29, four days after Ian Baraclough’s men are due to face Luxembourg in another friendly away from home.

While the match in Luxembourg will pit Northern Ireland against a fellow side due to compete in League C when Nations League play gets under way in June, Hungary were last year promoted to League A – where they have been drawn against England, Italy and Germany.

Northern Ireland and Hungary last met during qualification for Euro 2016. Northern Ireland won 2-1 in Budapest thanks to goals from Niall McGinn and Kyle Lafferty, while Lafferty then got the equaliser in a 1-1 draw in Belfast.

After suffering relegation from League B last year, Northern Ireland have been drawn against Greece, Kosovo and either Cyprus or Estonia for the next Nations League campaign, and are due to begin with a trip to Greece on June 2.