REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Carla Ward has succeeded in her plan to narrow the pitch at Tallaght Stadium to the Fifa minimum for tomorrow’s opening 2027 World Cup qualifier against France [KO 7.30pm, RTÉ 2].
“Have you seen it? If you go out there it might answer that question,” Ward smiled at her pre-match press conference.
“We are coming up against the best in the world, one percenters matter. I couldn’t tell you what it was before, I can only tell you what Fifa guidelines are, which is 64.”
The Fifa minimum is 100m x 64m, and the different dimensions were visible as the Ireland squad trained this afternoon. Vera Pauw previously narrowed the pitch at the Dublin 24 venue against Germany in 2020.
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“Good teams want space, right?” Ward explained last week. “When you play on somewhere like the Aviva, it definitely gives the advantage to the better, on paper, the better opposition. We’ve got to make it difficult.”
Ward confirmed that Hayley Nolan is a doubt, having sustained an ankle/calf injury, while Tara O’Hanlon has been called up and trained with the squad. The young left-back is unlikely to feature against Les Bleues, however.
The Ireland head coach said she is “big on second chances” as she addressed the decision to add Jasmine Mander, who served a one-year Fifa ban for her role in Canada’s drone-spying scandal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, to her set-up.
Performance analyst Mander has been on the pitch with Ireland this week, having expressed sincere remorse for the incident in an in-depth first-person piece for the Players Tribune, published in October 2025.
Ireland performance analyst Jasmine Mander. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“First and foremost Jasmine is a top quality coach,” Ward told The 42. “She’s exceptional in terms of her experience, she’s been there, she’s done it, she’s won it all.
“When the opportunity arose to bring her in, we looked at what we needed, we looked at what can help us and I keep saying, ‘How do we get to a World Cup?’ We need the right people in the right places and she fit that for sure.
“You know me as well, so you know I’m big on second chances, I’m big on getting the right people and the right experience in the right places and can she add a lot of quality? Yes. Has she added a lot of quality this week? Absolutely.”
Katie McCabe joined Ward in the pre-match press conference, where she was asked about her club future. The Irish captain is reportedly likely to leave Arsenal after over a decade as her contract expires at the end of the season.
McCabe has spent 11 years at the Gunners, winning every title possible with the North London club including the Champions League, WSL and Fifa Women’s Champions Cup. The 30-year-old left-back should have no shortage of options if she leaves on a free transfer, with WSL rivals and several NWSL clubs believed to be interested.
“Obviously my full focus is on these games coming up with Ireland. But in terms of my club future, I’ve got a contract until the end of the season. The Arsenal fans know how committed I am to them and to the club. I think I’ve shown that over the last 10 years. I’ve given absolutely everything. But in terms of where I’ll be at, I’m going to see out the next few months and then go from there.”
Carla Ward and Katie McCabe speaking at today's press conference. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
France are undoubted favorites, ranked seventh in the world, 20 places above Ireland. The Girls In Green did beat an understrength French side 3-1 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last time they met in July 2024.
Laurent Bonadei’s team arrive with a series of injury setbacks: Lyon defender Selma Bacha and Real Madrid forward Naomie Feller have been forced to withdraw from the squad, while goalkeeper Alice Pinguet has been called up from the U23s with fitness doubts over Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Denver Summit) and Constance Picaud (Fleury).
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Ward is expecting them firing on all cylinders: “Let’s be really brutally honest, they’re one of the best in the world. France are deadly in transition, they’re aggressive, they’re front-footed, they’ve got world-class talent in every single position. Their strength in depth is something that not many other nations have. Look, we know what we’re up against, and let’s be really clear, we’re up against one of the very best in world football.
“I think they will go fully experienced. I don’t think they will take us lightly. I think they understand the Irish mentality and the way this team and this nation has done things over the years. I think they will go strong.
“You will probably see some of the top players. Melvine Malard is playing very well for Manchester United, so you would probably expect her to come in. Listen, no matter who they change, they have got world-class players in every department and on the bench, so I expect a very strong, experienced team.”
“They are an exceptional team,” McCabe added, “the talent, the depth they have. I know it’s been highlighted that they have a couple of injuries, but that doesn’t matter, they still have so much quality stepping into those roles.
“We can’t look at that and think it’s a one-up for us. We need to be ready, we need to be calm going into the game, and extremely disciplined in being able to execute the game-plan.”
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Tallaght Stadium pitch narrowed for Ireland's World Cup qualifier against France
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Carla Ward has succeeded in her plan to narrow the pitch at Tallaght Stadium to the Fifa minimum for tomorrow’s opening 2027 World Cup qualifier against France [KO 7.30pm, RTÉ 2].
“Have you seen it? If you go out there it might answer that question,” Ward smiled at her pre-match press conference.
“We are coming up against the best in the world, one percenters matter. I couldn’t tell you what it was before, I can only tell you what Fifa guidelines are, which is 64.”
The Fifa minimum is 100m x 64m, and the different dimensions were visible as the Ireland squad trained this afternoon. Vera Pauw previously narrowed the pitch at the Dublin 24 venue against Germany in 2020.
“Good teams want space, right?” Ward explained last week. “When you play on somewhere like the Aviva, it definitely gives the advantage to the better, on paper, the better opposition. We’ve got to make it difficult.”
Ward confirmed that Hayley Nolan is a doubt, having sustained an ankle/calf injury, while Tara O’Hanlon has been called up and trained with the squad. The young left-back is unlikely to feature against Les Bleues, however.
The Ireland head coach said she is “big on second chances” as she addressed the decision to add Jasmine Mander, who served a one-year Fifa ban for her role in Canada’s drone-spying scandal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, to her set-up.
Performance analyst Mander has been on the pitch with Ireland this week, having expressed sincere remorse for the incident in an in-depth first-person piece for the Players Tribune, published in October 2025.
“First and foremost Jasmine is a top quality coach,” Ward told The 42. “She’s exceptional in terms of her experience, she’s been there, she’s done it, she’s won it all.
“When the opportunity arose to bring her in, we looked at what we needed, we looked at what can help us and I keep saying, ‘How do we get to a World Cup?’ We need the right people in the right places and she fit that for sure.
“You know me as well, so you know I’m big on second chances, I’m big on getting the right people and the right experience in the right places and can she add a lot of quality? Yes. Has she added a lot of quality this week? Absolutely.”
Katie McCabe joined Ward in the pre-match press conference, where she was asked about her club future. The Irish captain is reportedly likely to leave Arsenal after over a decade as her contract expires at the end of the season.
McCabe has spent 11 years at the Gunners, winning every title possible with the North London club including the Champions League, WSL and Fifa Women’s Champions Cup. The 30-year-old left-back should have no shortage of options if she leaves on a free transfer, with WSL rivals and several NWSL clubs believed to be interested.
“Obviously my full focus is on these games coming up with Ireland. But in terms of my club future, I’ve got a contract until the end of the season. The Arsenal fans know how committed I am to them and to the club. I think I’ve shown that over the last 10 years. I’ve given absolutely everything. But in terms of where I’ll be at, I’m going to see out the next few months and then go from there.”
France are undoubted favorites, ranked seventh in the world, 20 places above Ireland. The Girls In Green did beat an understrength French side 3-1 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last time they met in July 2024.
Laurent Bonadei’s team arrive with a series of injury setbacks: Lyon defender Selma Bacha and Real Madrid forward Naomie Feller have been forced to withdraw from the squad, while goalkeeper Alice Pinguet has been called up from the U23s with fitness doubts over Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Denver Summit) and Constance Picaud (Fleury).
Ward is expecting them firing on all cylinders: “Let’s be really brutally honest, they’re one of the best in the world. France are deadly in transition, they’re aggressive, they’re front-footed, they’ve got world-class talent in every single position. Their strength in depth is something that not many other nations have. Look, we know what we’re up against, and let’s be really clear, we’re up against one of the very best in world football.
“I think they will go fully experienced. I don’t think they will take us lightly. I think they understand the Irish mentality and the way this team and this nation has done things over the years. I think they will go strong.
“You will probably see some of the top players. Melvine Malard is playing very well for Manchester United, so you would probably expect her to come in. Listen, no matter who they change, they have got world-class players in every department and on the bench, so I expect a very strong, experienced team.”
“They are an exceptional team,” McCabe added, “the talent, the depth they have. I know it’s been highlighted that they have a couple of injuries, but that doesn’t matter, they still have so much quality stepping into those roles.
“We can’t look at that and think it’s a one-up for us. We need to be ready, we need to be calm going into the game, and extremely disciplined in being able to execute the game-plan.”
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Carla Ward Ireland WNT Katie McCabe One Percenter