There wasn’t quite the same excitement — or dread — following proceedings in Nyon, as after the Euro 2025 qualifying lottery when Ireland found themselves in the so-called Group of Death.
They have yo-yo’d between League A and B, and are now back in the second tier as top seeds facing significantly lesser opposition from February.
In the inaugural Nations League campaign in 2023, Ireland topped their League B group with a 100% record and achieved promotion to League A for the Euro 2025 qualifiers, but a bottom-placed finish in an excruciatingly difficult group spelled relegation.
Gleeson’s side ran riot against Northern Ireland, Hungary and Albania previously in the Nations League, scoring 20 goals and conceding just twice across six wins, and similar dominance is expected against Türkiye, Slovenia and Greece.
Türkiye were by and far the lowest-ranked opposition possible in Pot 2. They sit 58th in the Fifa World Rankings — Ireland are 24th in comparison — but they were seeded 24th for this draw after recent improvements in Europe (Ireland were 19th).
They won all of their League C games in the last Nations League, and finished second to Switzerland in League B of the Euro qualifiers. A 3-1 aggregate defeat to Ukraine followed in the first round of the play-offs.
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Ireland have never played Türkiye at senior international, so this is a novel pairing.
Slovenia, meanwhile, were the team with the highest world ranking in Pot 3 — they sit 40th, 16 places below Ireland. That said, they had the lowest European seeding. They also bowed out of the Euro 2025 play-offs following defeat to Austria.
Ireland played Slovenia twice before, securing 3-0 and 2-0 wins in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers. Lara Prašnikar is their standout player, her goalscoring exploits lighting up League C.
Greece are the fourth seeds, ranked 61st in the world and 31st in Europe. Only Albania were listed lower, while Belgium recently ended their play-off bid — emphatically so.
Greeks are familiar foes for Ireland, not just in the men’s game: they have played seven times, with the Girls In Green winning four and drawing three. They met most recently in the Euro 2022 qualifiers, a 1-1 away draw proving costly before a 1-0 rematch win at Tallaght Stadium.
That Athens draw came early in Vera Pauw’s tenure, with the former Ireland manager labelling Greece as a “a bunch of street fighters” afterwards. They will again make life difficult for Gleeson’s side, with Türkiye and Slovenia also out to frustrate them.
Gleeson was Pauw's assistant for those games against Greece. Greg Hellas / INPHO
Greg Hellas / INPHO / INPHO
But Ireland will be targetting another resounding group win and a return to League A, with 2027 World Cup implications likely thereafter.
“Promotion to League A is the overall aim for the upcoming Nations League campaign to ensure we compete at the highest level and maximise opportunities to qualify for major tournaments,” as Gleeson said earlier.
“For now, our focus remains on the Euro 2025 play-off.”
A decisive double-header against Wales is on the horizon, with the winner progressing to their first European Championships next summer.
Cardiff City Stadium hosts the opening leg on Friday 29 December, before a potentially historic night at the Aviva on Tuesday 3 December. Ireland go in as favourites, but two tight encounters lie ahead.
Should they qualify for Euro 2025, League B of the Nations League doesn’t appear to be perfect preparation.
Wales, on the contrary, have been drawn against Sweden, Italy and Denmark in League A. Scotland — who Ireland defeated in the 2023 World Cup play-offs — will test themselves against Germany, Netherlands and Austria, while England will face world champions Spain as they ready themselves to defend their European crown:
Ireland prepared for their World Cup debut with a series of competitive friendly games against world-class sides like USA and France. Should they make their first-ever Euros, they will spend much of the build-up playing modest opposition. This would prove a very different challenge.
The Nations League fixtures are yet to be confirmed, but the two-game windows are 19-26 February, 2-8 April and 28 May-3 June.
The 42 understands the FAI will announce their home venues in due course. Perhaps this could be a chance to revisit Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and maybe even play elsewhere.
Today’s draw was apathetic and low-key, but Ireland will be hoping to be involved in a much more exciting one on 16 December for Euro 2025.
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Focus on Euro 2025 play-off but Nations League draw brings different challenges for Ireland
FULL FOCUS REMAINS on the imminent Euro 2025 play-off, but Ireland now know their Women’s Nations League path for next year.
Eileen Gleeson’s side were pitted against Türkiye, Slovenia and Greece in League B, Group B2, in today’s widely apathetic draw.
There wasn’t quite the same excitement — or dread — following proceedings in Nyon, as after the Euro 2025 qualifying lottery when Ireland found themselves in the so-called Group of Death.
They have yo-yo’d between League A and B, and are now back in the second tier as top seeds facing significantly lesser opposition from February.
In the inaugural Nations League campaign in 2023, Ireland topped their League B group with a 100% record and achieved promotion to League A for the Euro 2025 qualifiers, but a bottom-placed finish in an excruciatingly difficult group spelled relegation.
Gleeson’s side ran riot against Northern Ireland, Hungary and Albania previously in the Nations League, scoring 20 goals and conceding just twice across six wins, and similar dominance is expected against Türkiye, Slovenia and Greece.
Türkiye were by and far the lowest-ranked opposition possible in Pot 2. They sit 58th in the Fifa World Rankings — Ireland are 24th in comparison — but they were seeded 24th for this draw after recent improvements in Europe (Ireland were 19th).
They won all of their League C games in the last Nations League, and finished second to Switzerland in League B of the Euro qualifiers. A 3-1 aggregate defeat to Ukraine followed in the first round of the play-offs.
Ireland have never played Türkiye at senior international, so this is a novel pairing.
Slovenia, meanwhile, were the team with the highest world ranking in Pot 3 — they sit 40th, 16 places below Ireland. That said, they had the lowest European seeding. They also bowed out of the Euro 2025 play-offs following defeat to Austria.
Ireland played Slovenia twice before, securing 3-0 and 2-0 wins in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers. Lara Prašnikar is their standout player, her goalscoring exploits lighting up League C.
Greece are the fourth seeds, ranked 61st in the world and 31st in Europe. Only Albania were listed lower, while Belgium recently ended their play-off bid — emphatically so.
Greeks are familiar foes for Ireland, not just in the men’s game: they have played seven times, with the Girls In Green winning four and drawing three. They met most recently in the Euro 2022 qualifiers, a 1-1 away draw proving costly before a 1-0 rematch win at Tallaght Stadium.
That Athens draw came early in Vera Pauw’s tenure, with the former Ireland manager labelling Greece as a “a bunch of street fighters” afterwards. They will again make life difficult for Gleeson’s side, with Türkiye and Slovenia also out to frustrate them.
But Ireland will be targetting another resounding group win and a return to League A, with 2027 World Cup implications likely thereafter.
“Promotion to League A is the overall aim for the upcoming Nations League campaign to ensure we compete at the highest level and maximise opportunities to qualify for major tournaments,” as Gleeson said earlier.
“For now, our focus remains on the Euro 2025 play-off.”
A decisive double-header against Wales is on the horizon, with the winner progressing to their first European Championships next summer.
Cardiff City Stadium hosts the opening leg on Friday 29 December, before a potentially historic night at the Aviva on Tuesday 3 December. Ireland go in as favourites, but two tight encounters lie ahead.
Should they qualify for Euro 2025, League B of the Nations League doesn’t appear to be perfect preparation.
Wales, on the contrary, have been drawn against Sweden, Italy and Denmark in League A. Scotland — who Ireland defeated in the 2023 World Cup play-offs — will test themselves against Germany, Netherlands and Austria, while England will face world champions Spain as they ready themselves to defend their European crown:
Ireland prepared for their World Cup debut with a series of competitive friendly games against world-class sides like USA and France. Should they make their first-ever Euros, they will spend much of the build-up playing modest opposition. This would prove a very different challenge.
The Nations League fixtures are yet to be confirmed, but the two-game windows are 19-26 February, 2-8 April and 28 May-3 June.
The 42 understands the FAI will announce their home venues in due course. Perhaps this could be a chance to revisit Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and maybe even play elsewhere.
Today’s draw was apathetic and low-key, but Ireland will be hoping to be involved in a much more exciting one on 16 December for Euro 2025.
The year ahead will be crystal clear by then.
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