The Irish FA is close to an agreement with Michael O'Neill to return as Northern Ireland manager.
It followed weeks of talks with the former boss.
Between 2012 and 2020 he worked in the role.
His first game is expected to be away to San Marino in a European Championship qualification game on March 23, followed by a return to Northern Ireland.
Ian Baraclough was dismissed as Northern Ireland's manager in October after he narrowly avoided being demoted to the bottom tier.
During his two years in charge, Baraclough lost 14 of his 28 games.
Sky sports reporter, Paul Gilmour.
There will be a World Cup in 2022.
The World Cup will be held in Russia.
A second stint in football management can be frowned upon, but Northern Ireland only had eyes for O'Neill.
The appointment they wanted from the moment Ian Baraclough was dismissed was the one made by the former Potters boss.
With several senior players considering their international futures, O'Neil is the man who can bring the group together and get them back on track.
It will be difficult. They don't have as much experience in defensive positions as they did when he first arrived, and they still struggle to score goals.
O'Neill tends to field teams who are hard-working and inventive from set pieces.
Many of the structures that were put in place during his first spell helped show young players there is a path to senior international football.
If Northern Ireland had been a Pot 5 seed, it would have been worse. They were drawn with a few smaller countries and avoided larger ones.
It won't be easy but there will be a clear plan and high standards. It will be back in Northern Irish football.
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