NI 'have to aspire' for World Cup qualification - O'Neill

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O'Neill's team will encounter Luxembourg, Slovakia, and the victor of the Nations League play-off between Germany and Italy when the qualification process kicks off in September.

The team that claims the top spot in Group A will earn a direct entry into the finals set to take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, while the second-placed team will enter a play-off.

There remains a possibility for Northern Ireland to secure a play-off position by finishing outside the top two, as they were the champions of their Nations League group last year, but they would require other teams ahead of them to qualify as well.

"We are aiming to compete for a place in the World Cup, whether that’s through a play-off or by performing exceptionally well in our group to defeat one of the stronger nations," O'Neill stated before the friendly match with Switzerland on Friday.

"It’s a significant challenge, but we must strive for it and set that goal for the players to work towards achieving."

Northern Ireland will take on the Swiss in Belfast and will head to Sweden on Tuesday. They are also scheduled to face Iceland and another yet-to-be-announced opponent in the double-header planned for June.

With this in mind, O'Neill emphasizes the necessity of making the friendly matches "competitive" to ensure his team is optimally prepared for the commencement of the qualifiers.

"For us, achieving a place in the play-offs for the World Cup is the minimum goal, and that’s what we should be aiming for.

"There’s no point in suggesting to the players that finishing third would be beneficial because it simply won’t be."