Abbie Larkin celebrates Ireland's Nations League playoff win. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
ABBIE LARKIN’S LAST-GASP winner in Leuven was undoubtedly the top Ireland WNT moment of 2025.
Extra-time was on the cards after Belgium cancelled out Ireland’s aggregate lead, but Larkin struck in the 90th minute at Der Dreef Stadium to win the tie 5-4.
Carla Ward’s side assumed control after a brilliant 4-2 win at Aviva Stadium, with Katie McCabe in devastating form on her 99th cap.
And the Irish captain hit the century in style, as Ireland stunned higher-ranked Belgium to secure promotion to League A.
After scuffing her initial effort, Larkin lifted the ball over Nicky Evrard at the very death: the 20-year-old Dubliner wheeled away arms outstretched, letting out a roar and celebrating with her teammates, before picking out her parents in the crowd and blowing them a kiss.
After the final whistle, the Irish players ran straight to the away end, where they danced, sang and thunder-clapped into the night.
Katie McCabe’s Champions League success
Katie McCabe celebrates with the Champions League trophy. Jose Breton / INPHO
Jose Breton / INPHO / INPHO
It’s not every year that an Irish player wins the Champions League.
Not only did Katie McCabe feature, she played a starring role as Arsenal were crowned European champions for the first time since 2007.
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The Gunners stunned holders Barcelona in Lisbon in May, with Stina Blackstenius’s 74th-minute goal the difference.
McCabe had an excellent campaign, clocking the most minutes ever recorded in a Uefa women’s club season (1,296). She played each of Arsenal’s 15 games as they became the first winners of the competition to come through every round of qualifying.
The Irish captain followed in the footsteps of Emma Byrne, Ciara Grant and Yvonne Tracy, Uefa Women’s Cup winners with the North London side 18 years ago, having been the first Irish international to play in a Champions League final since John O’Shea with Manchester United in 2009 (Caoimhín Kelleher was Liverpool’s reserve goalkeeper in 2019 and 2022).
McCabe then led the celebrations from Estádio José Alvalade to Emirates Stadium.
Athlone Town at the double
Kelly Brady was Athlone's goalscoring hero last season. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Athlone Town won their first-ever double last season. The Midlanders secured back to back titles in the League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division, before making history in their fourth successive FAI Cup final.
Kelly Brady was the hat-trick hero as they came from behind to beat Bohemians 3-2 at Tallaght Stadium, wrapping a rollercoaster season.
As the business end approached in September, Colin Fortune resigned in a major shock. He left in the middle of a historic European run, days out from their Europa Cup opener against Glasgow City.
John Sullivan took interim charge, and was made permanent after closing out another successful domestic season.
Athlone’s Champions League debut was a certain highlight: they beat Cardiff City and Agram in front of full houses on home soil, before a defeat to Breidablik coupled with a win over Red Star Belgrade in the Netherlands saw them drop to the Europa Cup. They were soundly beaten by Glasgow there, but 2025 was certainly a year to remember for the Town.
Euros drama
Chloe Kelly taking the winning penalty in the Euro 2025 final. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Ireland missed out on this summer’s bonanza at Euro 2025 and will have watched on with regret, but as the days went on, the tournament in Switzerland caught fire.
Marathon matches and penalty drama became commonplace. Of the seven knockout games, five went to extra-time and three required shootouts.
England found a way again and again as they were crowned back-to-back champions.
The Lionesses lost their opener to France after no shortage of pre-tournament upheaval, but roared back with convincing wins against Netherlands and Wales.
They thrived in the chaos of the knockout stages: Sarina Wiegman’s side trailed 2-0 in the quarter-final against Sweden, and forced extra-time and the perhaps the best, worst shootout in history. They needed a 119th-minute winner – a rebounded Chloe Kelly penalty – against Italy in the semi-final. And the decider against rivals Spain fittingly went the distance.
The world champions were red-hot favourites, but England again came from behind with Kelly coming up clutch in the shootout to retain the title in Basel.
And one big hope for 2026…
Same again? Ireland before their World Cup debut against Australia. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
World Cup qualification for Ireland. The Belgium playoff win means Carla Ward’s side are back in League A for the European qualifiers, guaranteeing a playoff for Brazil 2027.
They will face France, Netherlands and Poland in a quick-fire group campaign, starting in March. The group winners qualify automatically, with the second- and third-place finishers securing a more favourable playoff route for later in the year. France and Poland were the lowest-ranked first and third seeds Ireland could draw, with the Poles just one place higher in the world rankings in 26th.
That April double-header will be decisive as the bid to reach back-to-back World Cup finals takes shape.
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Leuven to Lisbon, Tallaght to Basel: The women's football moments of the year
Ireland’s playoff party
ABBIE LARKIN’S LAST-GASP winner in Leuven was undoubtedly the top Ireland WNT moment of 2025.
Extra-time was on the cards after Belgium cancelled out Ireland’s aggregate lead, but Larkin struck in the 90th minute at Der Dreef Stadium to win the tie 5-4.
Carla Ward’s side assumed control after a brilliant 4-2 win at Aviva Stadium, with Katie McCabe in devastating form on her 99th cap.
And the Irish captain hit the century in style, as Ireland stunned higher-ranked Belgium to secure promotion to League A.
After scuffing her initial effort, Larkin lifted the ball over Nicky Evrard at the very death: the 20-year-old Dubliner wheeled away arms outstretched, letting out a roar and celebrating with her teammates, before picking out her parents in the crowd and blowing them a kiss.
After the final whistle, the Irish players ran straight to the away end, where they danced, sang and thunder-clapped into the night.
Katie McCabe’s Champions League success
It’s not every year that an Irish player wins the Champions League.
Not only did Katie McCabe feature, she played a starring role as Arsenal were crowned European champions for the first time since 2007.
The Gunners stunned holders Barcelona in Lisbon in May, with Stina Blackstenius’s 74th-minute goal the difference.
McCabe had an excellent campaign, clocking the most minutes ever recorded in a Uefa women’s club season (1,296). She played each of Arsenal’s 15 games as they became the first winners of the competition to come through every round of qualifying.
The Irish captain followed in the footsteps of Emma Byrne, Ciara Grant and Yvonne Tracy, Uefa Women’s Cup winners with the North London side 18 years ago, having been the first Irish international to play in a Champions League final since John O’Shea with Manchester United in 2009 (Caoimhín Kelleher was Liverpool’s reserve goalkeeper in 2019 and 2022).
McCabe then led the celebrations from Estádio José Alvalade to Emirates Stadium.
Athlone Town at the double
Athlone Town won their first-ever double last season. The Midlanders secured back to back titles in the League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division, before making history in their fourth successive FAI Cup final.
Kelly Brady was the hat-trick hero as they came from behind to beat Bohemians 3-2 at Tallaght Stadium, wrapping a rollercoaster season.
As the business end approached in September, Colin Fortune resigned in a major shock. He left in the middle of a historic European run, days out from their Europa Cup opener against Glasgow City.
John Sullivan took interim charge, and was made permanent after closing out another successful domestic season.
Athlone’s Champions League debut was a certain highlight: they beat Cardiff City and Agram in front of full houses on home soil, before a defeat to Breidablik coupled with a win over Red Star Belgrade in the Netherlands saw them drop to the Europa Cup. They were soundly beaten by Glasgow there, but 2025 was certainly a year to remember for the Town.
Euros drama
Ireland missed out on this summer’s bonanza at Euro 2025 and will have watched on with regret, but as the days went on, the tournament in Switzerland caught fire.
Marathon matches and penalty drama became commonplace. Of the seven knockout games, five went to extra-time and three required shootouts.
England found a way again and again as they were crowned back-to-back champions.
The Lionesses lost their opener to France after no shortage of pre-tournament upheaval, but roared back with convincing wins against Netherlands and Wales.
They thrived in the chaos of the knockout stages: Sarina Wiegman’s side trailed 2-0 in the quarter-final against Sweden, and forced extra-time and the perhaps the best, worst shootout in history. They needed a 119th-minute winner – a rebounded Chloe Kelly penalty – against Italy in the semi-final. And the decider against rivals Spain fittingly went the distance.
The world champions were red-hot favourites, but England again came from behind with Kelly coming up clutch in the shootout to retain the title in Basel.
And one big hope for 2026…
World Cup qualification for Ireland. The Belgium playoff win means Carla Ward’s side are back in League A for the European qualifiers, guaranteeing a playoff for Brazil 2027.
They will face France, Netherlands and Poland in a quick-fire group campaign, starting in March. The group winners qualify automatically, with the second- and third-place finishers securing a more favourable playoff route for later in the year. France and Poland were the lowest-ranked first and third seeds Ireland could draw, with the Poles just one place higher in the world rankings in 26th.
That April double-header will be decisive as the bid to reach back-to-back World Cup finals takes shape.
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