Association | Irish Football Association (IFA) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Tanya Oxtoby [1] | ||
Captain | Simone Magill | ||
Most caps | Julie Nelson (125) | ||
Top scorer | Rachel Furness (38) | ||
FIFA code | NIR | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 45 3 (16 August 2024) [2] | ||
Highest | 45 (March – June 2023; August 2024) | ||
Lowest | 85 (June 2005) | ||
First international | |||
Republic of Ireland 4–1 Northern Ireland (Dublin, Republic of Ireland; 30 June 1973) | |||
Biggest win | |||
North Macedonia 0–11 Northern Ireland (Skopje, North Macedonia; 25 November 2021) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Scotland 11–1 Northern Ireland (Clydebank, Scotland, 23 November 1974) England 10–0 Northern Ireland (Blackburn, England, 16 March 1986) | |||
European Championship | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2022 ) | ||
Best result | Group stage (2022) |
The Northern Ireland women's national football team represents Northern Ireland in international women's football. Although most national football teams represent a sovereign state, FIFA statutes permit Northern Ireland as a member of the United Kingdom's Home Nations to maintain its own national side that competes in all major tournaments, with the exception of the Women's Olympic Football Tournament.
The team were the lowest UEFA-ranked team (27th) [3] to qualify for the European Championships Finals in England in 2022.
In September 2021 it was announced that the senior women's team would be adopting a full-time professional set up ahead of Euro 2022. [4]
The following is a list of matches in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Lose Fixture
1 December 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Albania | 0–4 | Northern Ireland | Tirana, Albania |
Report | Stadium: Arena Kombëtare |
5 December 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Northern Ireland | 1–6 | Republic of Ireland | Belfast |
Report | Stadium: Windsor Park |
23 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches | Montenegro | 0–2 | Northern Ireland | Podgorica |
14:00 | Report | Stadium: Podgorica City Stadium |
27 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches | Northern Ireland | 1–1 (3–1 agg.) | Montenegro | Belfast |
20:00 (19:00 GMT) | Report | Stadium: Windsor Park | ||
Note: Northern Ireland won 3–1 on aggregate, and therefore both teams remained in their respective leagues. |
5 April Euro 2025 qualifying | Northern Ireland | 0–0 | Malta | Belfast |
Report | Stadium: Windsor Park Referee: Maria Marotta (Italy) |
9 April Euro 2025 qualifying | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1–3 | Northern Ireland | Zenica |
Report | Stadium: Bosnia and Herzegovina FA Training Centre Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (Switzerland) |
31 May Euro 2025 qualifying | Portugal | 4–0 | Northern Ireland | Leiria |
21:45 (20:45 UTC+1) | Report | Stadium: Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Attendance: 10,017 Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden) |
4 June Euro 2025 qualifying | Northern Ireland | 1–2 | Portugal | Lurgan |
20:00 (19:00 UTC+1) |
| Report | Stadium: Mourneview Park Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (Germany) |
12 July Euro 2025 qualifying | Malta | 0–2 | Northern Ireland | Ta' Qali |
19:30 | Report | Stadium: Centenary Stadium |
16 July Euro 2025 qualifying | Northern Ireland | 2–0 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Belfast |
19:00 (18:00 UTC+1) | Report | Stadium: Windsor Park |
25 October 2024 Euro 2025 qualifying play-off | Croatia | 1–1 | Northern Ireland | Varaždin, Croatia |
18:00 CEST (UTC+01:00) | Lojna 4' (pen.) | Report | Lojna 90+2' (o.g.) | Stadium: Stadion Varteks |
29 October 2024 Euro 2025 qualifying play-off | Northern Ireland | 1–0 (a.e.t.) (2–1 agg.) | Croatia | Belfast |
20:00 CEST (UTC+01:00) |
| Report | Stadium: Windsor Park |
29 November 2024 Euro 2025 qualifying play-off | Northern Ireland | v | Norway | Larne, Northern Ireland |
20:00 CEST (UTC+01:00) | Stadium: Inver Park |
3 December 2024 Euro 2025 qualifying play-off | Norway | v | Northern Ireland | Oslo, Norway |
18:00 | Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion |
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Shannon Turner | 8 September 1997 | 6 | 0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | v. Montenegro, 27 February 2024 |
GK | Rachael Norney | 18 June 2004 | 1 | 0 | Liverpool Feds | v. Republic of Ireland, 5 December 2023 |
GK | Lilie Woods | 29 August 2003 | 1 | 0 | Mid-Ulster | v. Hungary, 31 October 2023 |
DF | Abbie Magee | 15 November 2000 | 12 | 0 | Cliftonville | v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Rachel McLaren | 19 November 2002 | 1 | 0 | Crusaders | v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Ellie Mason | 16 February 1996 | 4 | 0 | Birmingham City | v. Montenegro, 27 February 2024 |
DF | Sarah McFadden | 23 May 1987 | 104 | 9 | Durham | v. Montenegro, 27 February 2024 |
MF | Rachel Furness | 19 June 1988 | 95 | 38 | Bristol City | v. Hungary, 31 October 2023 INJ |
MF | Megan Bell | 17 April 2001 | 25 | 2 | Hearts | v. Portugal, 4 June 2024 |
FW | Caitlin McGuinness | 30 August 2002 | 18 | 1 | Cliftonville | v. Hungary, 31 October 2023 |
FW | Kirsty McGuinness | 4 November 1994 | 57 | 14 | Cliftonville | v. Albania, 26 September 2023 |
Notes:
Most caps
| Most goals
|
Simone Magill holds the world record for the fastest international goal in women's football. Previously, US forward Alex Morgan had held the record at twelve seconds. Magill achieved an eleven-second goal against Georgia at the start of a European Qualifying match on 3 June 2016. The goal marks the fastest ever international goal by any national Northern Irish team – male or female. [9]
FIFA Women's World Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | |||
1991 | Did not qualify | UEFA EURO 1991 | ||||||||||||||||
1995 | Did not enter | UEFA EURO 1995 | ||||||||||||||||
1999 | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||||
2003 | ||||||||||||||||||
2007 | Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | ||||||||||
2011 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 16 | −8 | |||||||||||
2015 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 19 | −16 | |||||||||||
2019 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 27 | −23 | |||||||||||
2023 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 36 | 16 | +20 | |||||||||||
2027 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||||||
Total | 0/10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 44 | 13 | 11 | 23 | 58 | 89 | −31 |
UEFA Women's Championship record | Qualifying record | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
1984 | Did not qualify | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 21 | |||||||
1987 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 35 | ||||||||
1989 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||
1991 | Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 21 | |||||||
1993 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||
1995 | ||||||||||||||
1997 | ||||||||||||||
2001 | ||||||||||||||
2005 | ||||||||||||||
2009 | Did not qualify | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 28 | |||||||
2013 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 15 | ||||||||
2017 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 22 | ||||||||
2022 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 18 | |
2025 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||
Total | 1/13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 55 | 13 | 6 | 36 | 62 | 160 |
UEFA Women's Nations League record | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Division | Group | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | RK | |
2023–24 | B | 1 | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 13 | - | 25th | |
2025–26 | B | To be determined | ||||||||||
Total | 18th |
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents the Republic of Ireland in men's international football. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of the Principality of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German.
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team plays most of its home matches at the Stade de Luxembourg in Luxembourg City.
The Greece national football team represents Greece in men's international football matches, and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece is one of only ten national teams to have been crowned UEFA European Champions.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in men's international football competitions, and is governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until 1992, Bosnian footballers played for Yugoslavia.
The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in men's international football and is administered by the Moldovan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chișinău and their head coach is Serghei Cleșcenco. Shortly before the break-up of the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Georgia on 2 July 1991.
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in men's international football, and is governed by the Faroe Islands Football Association (FSF). The FSF became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and represents the fourth-smallest UEFA country by population.
The Sweden women's national football team, nicknamed Blågult, represents Sweden at international women's association football competitions. It was established in 1973 and is governed by the Swedish Football Association.
The Belarus women's national football team represents Belarus in international women's football. The team is governed by the Football Federation of Belarus.
The Republic of Ireland women's national football team represents the Republic of Ireland in competitions such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Women's Championship. The team played in their first World Cup at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. It has taken part in invitational tournaments such as the Algarve Cup, the Istria Cup, the Cyprus Cup and Pinatar Cup. It is organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland.
The Portugal women's national football team represents Portugal in international women's football competition. The team is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and competes as a member of UEFA in various international football tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA Women's Euro, the Summer Olympics, and the Algarve Cup.
The Israel women's national football team represents Israel in international women's football. The Israel women's national football team was established in 1997. Women's football in Israel was developed as an upside down pyramid by first opening the national team and then after 2 years opening the first women's football league in Israel. Women's Football in Israel is struggling to develop because it is lacking investment.
The Malta women's national football team represents the Malta Football Association in international women's football matches sanctioned by UEFA.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina women's national football team represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Kenneth Shiels is a Northern Irish football manager and former player who is currently manager of NIFL Premier Intermediate side Moyola Park.
The Romania national under-19 football team represents Federația Română de Fotbal, the governing body for football in Romania, in international football at this age level.
The Montenegro women's national football team represents Montenegro in international women's football, and it is organised by the Football Association of Montenegro.
Simone Magill is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays forward for Northern Ireland and Birmingham City in the Women’s Championship
The history of football in Bosnia and Herzegovina dates back to the early 1900s during the Austro-Hungarian rule.
Shannon Turner became a goalkeeper for West Bromwich Albion in 2021 after leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers. Born in England, she has represented Northern Ireland at under-19 level. She was on the Northern Ireland squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2022.