The Women’s Nations League draw took place on Tuesday 3 October, where the Republic of Ireland would find out who they faced in League A after promotion in the last edition of the league phase saw them promoted from League B to League A.

This round of Nations League qualification is aimed at Olympic qualification for the Olympic Games being held in 2028, where the winners of the top four groups in League A will progress to the semi-finals and aim for a chance to be the only ones participating in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It is also the start of qualification for the next European competition hosted by Germany in the European Championship in 2029, with every win and every point mattering to each team.

Draw format and restrictions

The Republic of Ireland were in pot 3 for the draw, where they were seeded ninth out of 16 top teams, meaning they would not face any of the other three teams that they were in pot 3 with: Sweden, Iceland or Austria.

Because of the rules for the Olympics, Ireland could only draw one of the GB nations due to the restrictions applied. Hence, if Ireland were drawn with England in a group, they would not be able to face Scotland or Wales. As a result, the Republic of Ireland can only be drawn against one British nation in their group.

The tournament will be held in three international windows in 2027, played as a home-and-away round-robin tournament between February 2027 and June 2027.

A hard group for the Girls in Green

After a long draw procedure taking place in Nyon, the Republic of Ireland were drawn against Spain, Norway and Switzerland in a hard group for the Girls in Green.

While the likely winners of the group will be Spain, the Republic of Ireland should aim for the chance to finish second in the group to avoid relegation back to League B.

Spain

Spain are the current holders of the Women’s World Cup, having won their first star in 2023 against England in Australia, and are also the current holders of both finals of the Nations League in 2025 and 2026.

Spain are ranked world number 1, just edging out the USA, so it will be a very hard test for Carla Ward and her side to beat the Spanish side, but never say never, as anything can happen in the Nations League with upsets happening everywhere.

Norway

Norway are ranked 13th in the FIFA world rankings and will look to test Ward’s side in the race to win the group and advance through to the finals, though each team's big test in this group is Spain.

Ireland’s last match-up against Norway happened in 2018, when Norway beat the Girls in Green both home and away, so they will be looking to revise those results against the Scandinavian team and propel themselves further in the group.

Switzerland

Switzerland are the lowest-ranked team in this league, sitting at 26th in the rankings, just five places below the Republic of Ireland.

Ireland have faced Switzerland only four times in the past, and three out of four times the Swiss have taken the win, so, as in the games against Norway, Ireland will be looking to rectify those results and take home the wins against Switzerland.

All of the fixture information will be posted by Ireland in the near future as the Girls in Green continue to focus on their World Cup qualification play-offs against Poland, happening in December, for a place in Brazil in the summer of 2027, looking to play in their second World Cup after their first appearance in 2023, in Australia and New Zealand.