 Ward was an unused substitute for the two games in which Northern Ireland won back-to-back games and possibly enhanced their chance of reaching the World Cup in South Africa.Ward won his first full cap for Northern Ireland in a Euro 2012 qualifier against the Faroe Islands on 10 August 2011, with his first start coming in a 2–0 defeat away to Russia in their first 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier.On 6 September 2013, Ward scored his first goal in a 2–4 home defeat against Portugal.