2023 WAS EXTRAORDINARY for the Republic of Ireland women’s national team — but 2024 will be significant in its own right.
From the World Cup to a 100% record in the inaugural Uefa Women’s Nations League, and a dramatic managerial change in between, last year was a whirlwind for the Girls In Green.
Eileen Gleeson was interim head coach as they secured promotion to League A — or the top-tier of European football — and following her rather surprising permanent appointment before Christmas, the Dubliner will lead her country into European Championship qualifying action this year.
The draw takes place on Monday, 5 March, with Ireland in Pot 4. While Ireland will link up for friendly action in February (details TBC), all eyes will be on their Euro 2025 qualification fate thereafter.
Gleeson says she is ready to push for “consistent regular qualification for, and progression in, major tournaments,” with FAI Director of Football Marc Canham labelling this “a great chance”.
Who can Ireland draw in Euro qualification?
They will be pitted against a European heavyweight from Pot 1 — Netherlands, France, Germany or world champions Spain — with holders England the standout team in Pot 2. Austria, Denmark and Italy join the Lionesses there.
Pot 3 will consist of Nations League play-off winners. The picture will become clearer after those games are decided on 21 February, but the fixtures are Serbia v Iceland, Hungary v Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina v Sweden and Croatia v Norway. Sweden, Belgium, Norway and Iceland will be fancied to prevail, though anything could happen.
Joining Ireland in Pot 4 will be fellow League B winners Finland, Poland and Czech Republic. As per standard procedure, one nation will be drawn from each pot to form a group of four.
How does qualification actually work?
After playing each team home and away over the coming months, the top two in every group qualify directly for the finals in Switzerland next summer.
The third- and fourth-placed teams contest play-offs in October. There, the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C await. The eight winners of those two-legged ties advance to the second round.
On the other side of the play-offs, the four group winners and two best-ranked runners up in League B are drawn against other sides from that division. The six winners progress to the second round.
At that point, there will be 14 teams left standing. The seven winners of those double-headers qualify for Euro 2025, joining the eight top-two League A sides and hosts Switzerland at the 16-team tournament.
When and where will the six group games take place?
There will be three double-headers from April to July. The first window is from 3-9 April, then it’s 29 May to 4 June, and 10-16 July.
At least one of Ireland’s glamour home games should be staged at the Aviva Stadium, pitch schedule and whatnot else dependant. Having played at Lansdowne Road for the first time last September, the FAI assured that the women’s team are set for a return in 2024 but may alternate between the Aviva and Tallaght Stadium.
They could play at some major venues elsewhere. England, for example, regularly line out at Wembley Stadium.
For reference, the play-off draw is 19 July, with the fixtures slated in for 23 and 29 October, and 27 November and 3 December. The Euro 2025 finals draw takes place on 16 December, with Ireland hoping to see their name in the hat for their second major tournament.
It runs from 2 to 27 July across eight cities in Switzerland.
What might change in 2024?
The big question mark currently is over Gleeson’s backroom team. Emma Byrne and Colin Healy were her assistant coaches through her interim spell, with goalkeeper coach Richie Fitzgibbon and performance coach Ivi Casagrande among other personnel involved.
But it’s unclear whether they will be part of the permanent set-up. An update is expected imminently, with both Gleeson and Canham briefly addressing the issue in her unveiling press conference.
In terms of the squad, there has been some chopping and changing since Vera Pauw’s exit. New recruit Caitlin Hayes has been a revelation, with Tyler Toland featuring prominently since her recall.
Gleeson has used younger players like Abbie Larkin, Izzy Larkin and Erin McLaughlin quite a bit, with other teenagers like Ellen Dolan, Freya Healy and Jessie Stapleton also in and around the squad.
League B brought with it significantly less pressure and more freedom post World Cup, allowing for experimentation amidst growing competition.
Amber Barrett was a glaring omission in the last window, with Marissa Sheva, Claire O’Riordan and Ciara Grant among the others overlooked. A lengthy injury list brought further absentees with Niamh Fahey, Aoife Mannion, Leanne Kiernan, Jess Ziu, Ellen Molloy, Claire Walsh, Tara O’Hanlon and Roma McLaughlin not involved through the Nations League.
The majority of those should be back in the mix imminently, so Gleeson’s February squad should be interesting.
As Ireland gear up to face higher-ranked opposition, they certainly won’t be able to be as attack-minded or front-footed as they have been of late. They scored 20 goals and conceded just two as they ran riot in League B of the Nations League.
League A will bring a big step-up for Ireland and Gleeson, tactically and technically, as they dine at the top table with Europe’s elite.
