Northern Ireland will take on two-time world champions France in a high-profile friendly match scheduled for Monday, 8 June at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, kicking off at 20:10 BST.
This encounter comes as France prepares for their upcoming World Cup campaign, while Northern Ireland looks to test themselves against elite opposition after failing to qualify for the tournament. Michael O'Neill's side recently drew 1-1 with Wales in Cardiff, following their World Cup play-off semi-final loss to Italy in March.
"This is exactly the level of challenge we want. France are one of the top sides in world football so it's a great test for our players," said Irish FA technical director Aaron Hughes.
The match marks Northern Ireland's first fixture in France since their memorable Euro 2016 campaign. The two nations last met in August 1999, when France secured a 1-0 victory in Belfast.
France, ranked as the world's top team, enters the match with World Cup ambitions after breezing through qualification with five wins and a draw. The team will face Senegal in their Group I opener on 16 June in New Jersey, followed by matches against Iraq and Norway later in the month.
However, France will be without Hugo Ekitike, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury during Liverpool's Champions League defeat to Paris St-Germain earlier this week. This friendly represents a significant opportunity for Northern Ireland to measure their progress against world-class opposition ahead of their own future campaigns.