The draw for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup European Qualifiers has handed the Republic of Ireland a testing introduction to life in the elite League A, while Northern Ireland have landed a competitive but winnable League B group as both sides prepare for the next chapter of their international journey.
They avoided the potential of playing Spain and England in A3, and also of politically challenging home-and-away ties against Israel so that everyone can breathe after the draw in Nyon.
Republic of Ireland:
Carla Ward’s first World Cup qualifying campaign as Republic of Ireland manager will begin against some of the biggest names in women’s football. Her side has been drawn into Group A2 with France, the Netherlands and Poland, a formidable but exciting challenge for a squad eager to prove it belongs among Europe’s best.
Ireland earned promotion from League B this year, and with it the right to take their place in UEFA’s top tier. Under the new system, each League A group winner qualifies directly for the World Cup. The other three are guaranteed a play-off place at least, with the higher finishing teams facing the lower-ranked opponents from League C.
For Ward, who took charge earlier this year, the task is twofold: to establish a clear identity on the pitch and to keep Ireland at the top table.
“This group gives us exactly what we want, big games, big stages, and a chance to show how competitive we can be,” she said. “We’ll respect every opponent, but we’ll fear none.”
The action will unfold across three FIFA international windows in 2026:
March 3 & 7 — Matchdays 1–2
April 14 & 18 — Matchdays 3–4
June 5 & 9 — Matchdays 5–6
Each window will feature two fixtures, home and away, with the campaign concluding in early June before the summer break.
Away-day guide for the Green Army
Supporters planning trips will find two particularly straightforward journeys:
France – Direct flights from Dublin to Paris, Lyon or Marseille make this an easy hop.
Netherlands – Amsterdam is just 90 minutes away, perfect for a short match weekend.
Poland – Around three hours to Warsaw, Kraków or Poznań — a little longer, but manageable.
Two easy city breaks and one longer adventure — all within the Schengen zone and free of visa or time-zone complications for travelling fans.
Northern Ireland:
Tanya Oxtoby’s Northern Ireland will take on Switzerland, Turkey and Malta in Group B3, a balanced draw that offers real hope of topping the table or claiming a play-off berth. Switzerland start as favourites, but Northern Ireland have shown before that organisation and spirit can bridge any gap.
“We’ll need to be at our best away from home,” said Oxtoby. “Every match matters, and every point will count towards our bigger goal, qualifying for a major tournament.”
The same 2026 international windows — March, April and June — will frame their fixtures. Finishing first in the group would bring promotion to League A and a potential play-off route to the World Cup, while second place could still offer a path depending on results elsewhere.
Travel diary for the Green and White Army
Switzerland: Quick, comfortable flights via Zurich or Geneva.
Malta: Around four hours with direct flights down the M1 in Dublin — fan-friendly and ideal for a sunny away day.
Turkey: The longest haul, with Istanbul the most likely venue and a two-hour time difference to manage.
It is rare that we get to avoid at least one trip to far flung shores and all of these games offer a very marketable opportunity to get fans fully engaged with both sides throughout 2026.
Image Credit: UEFA
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