Northern Ireland begins their 2027 World Cup qualification campaign with a challenging test against Switzerland on Tuesday, followed by hosting Turkey at Mourneview Park on Saturday. Midfielder Nadene Caldwell emphasizes the need to secure early points to build momentum in what promises to be a difficult group for the national side.

Interim manager Kris Lindsay takes charge for at least the first pair of qualifiers while the search for Tanya Oxtoby's permanent successor continues. Northern Ireland faces a crammed fixture list with additional matches against Malta in April before concluding against Turkey and Switzerland in their qualification series for Brazil.

Caldwell acknowledges the tough start against Switzerland but welcomes the opportunity to face top opposition. "The pressure is all on them," Caldwell noted, referring to Switzerland as top seeds. The experienced midfielder believes measuring against the best can only improve the squad as they aim to establish confidence early in their qualification campaign.