Northern Ireland will face World Cup favorites France in a June friendly at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, marking their first match in France since Euro 2016. The friendly serves as a key benchmark for Northern Ireland’s progress ahead of future tournaments, with their last meeting against France in 1999 ending in a 1-0 defeat. France, the world’s top-ranked team, are preparing for the 2026 World Cup with strong form, including victories over Brazil and Colombia in March friendlies. Didier Deschamps will step down as France manager after the tournament, while Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles injury adds a major challenge to their squad finalization. Aaron Hughes, Northern Ireland’s technical director, described the France fixture as an ideal test to measure the team’s development since Euro 2016.