We’ve reached the final, do-or-die stage of World Cup qualifying in Europe, as the final few spots to qualify from Europe are set to be determined via head-to-head playoffs. Northern Ireland are hosting Switzerland in the first leg of one of those crucial ties, hoping to gain a foothold in their bid to go to their first World Cup in more than 30 years.
Northern Ireland vs. Switzerland 2017 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch World Cup qualifier online
Photo by Andrew Halseid-Budd/Getty Images
Northern Ireland haven’t been to the promised land of the top competition in the sport since 1986, but after several successful years of competitive action they’re hoping to book a trip to Russia next summer. But to do that they need to beat a very talented Switzerland team, and it’s going to be a tough and fascinating matchup for both teams.
The Swiss were actually in prime position to qualify directly to the World Cup out of their group, but a loss on the final matchday to Portugal put Cristiano Ronaldo’s country through and sent Switzerland to this playoff. Northern Ireland are here mostly by dint of being stuck in the same group as Germany, though they gave the defending World Cup champions a good run for their competitive money for most of the group stage before dropping their last two matches.
Both teams feature quick-trigger counter attacks and midfields equally capable of playing lovely passes as they are leaving nasty bruises. They’re more evenly matched than you might think given Northern Ireland’s general history of being a below-average national team, but smart coaching and a better-than-expected squad has given them a renaissance that has seen them catch up to Switzerland’s level. There will be no holds barred in either this match or the tie as a whole, and it’s going to be interesting to watch how it plays out with how well matched these teams are.
Match info, plus how to watch on TV and stream
Match Date/Time: Thursday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. local
Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland
TV: ESPN2 (U.S.), Sky Sports Main Event (U.K.), SRF zwei, RSI La 2, RTS Sport, RTS Deux, DAZN Europe (Switzerland)
Online: WatchESPN, ESPN3 (U.S.), Sky Go (U.K.)
Listings for more countries can be found at LiveSoccerTV.
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