The wait is sort of over for Northern Eire to find their 2027 Ladies’s World Cup play-off semi-final opponents.
Michael McArdle’s facet completed third in Group B2, successful two of their six video games – each in opposition to Malta – to safe a play-off spot and retain their place in League B.
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It will likely be a tricky ask for NI to achieve their first ever World Cup as they are going to be unseeded for each the two-legged semi-final and two-legged last of the play-offs.
Even when they progress via these 4 video games, it will not be sufficient because the lowest-ranked of the eight play-off winners in Europe will go into the inter-confederation play-offs early subsequent yr and – ought to they get that far – there’s a good likelihood that might be NI.
Northern Eire have relished the underdog tag earlier than and did defy the chances within the play-offs to achieve Euro 2022, so McArdle’s younger facet will dream they’ll replicate that feat.
BBC Sport NI seems at who they might face of their semi-final forward of Thursday’s draw.
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Slovenia
Slovenia beat Republic of Eire 4-0 within the Nations League final yr [Getty Images]
World rating: thirty eighth World Cup qualifying group: Fourth in Group A4 Final World Cup: By no means certified
Slovenia, like Northern Eire, have by no means performed at a World Cup and whereas they’re the bottom ranked facet that McArdle’s workforce might face, they might signify a tough play-off opponent.
Sasa Kolman’s facet gained one among their six Group A4 video games as they completed fourth and suffered relegation again to League B.
Nevertheless, they have been in a troublesome group with , who they beat 1-0 to start out their marketing campaign, in addition to and .
Slovenia thrashed an off-colour Republic of Eire 4-0 in a Nations League recreation in February 2025, demonstrating that they’ll punish groups once they’re within the temper.
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Poland
Pajor scored in opposition to Northern Eire in a 4-0 win at Seaview final yr [Getty Images]
World rating: twenty ninth World Cup qualifying group: Fourth in Group A2 Final World Cup: By no means certified
Northern Eire want little introduction to Poland after dealing with them in final yr’s Nations League.
Below then boss Tanya Oxtoby, NI misplaced 2-0 in Gdansk after which 4-0 at Seaview, with Poland displaying an actual medical edge in that second recreation in north Belfast.
They possess one of many world’s greatest strikers in ‘s Ewa Pajor, who has 71 targets in 110 video games for her nation.
Nina Patalon’s facet endured a troublesome qualification marketing campaign as they completed backside of Group A2 and with out a win from their six video games.
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They picked up a degree in opposition to the , however misplaced twice in opposition to Republic of Eire as they have been relegated again to League B.
Poland, who’re aiming to achieve their first World Cup, rating numerous targets but additionally concede quite a bit too, which is able to give NI some encouragement.
Serbia
Serbia are aiming to qualify for a primary World Cup [Getty Images]
World rating: thirty fifth World Cup qualifying group: Fourth in Group A1 Final World Cup: By no means certified
Like Poland, Serbia picked up only a level from their six Group A1 video games as they completed fourth and have been relegated again right down to League B.
Lidija Stojkanovic’s facet drew with however have been thrashed by and .
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They’re aiming to achieve their first-ever main match and whereas they will not be on the degree required to compete in League A, they’ll nonetheless be a tricky check for a younger NI facet which are unable to get out of League B.
Nevertheless, given who else they might be paired with, they could signify a kinder play-off opponent for NI.
Ukraine
Ukraine misplaced all six of their Group A3 video games and have been relegated again to League B [Getty Images]
World rating: thirty fourth World Cup qualifying group: Fourth in Group A3 Final World Cup: By no means certified
Ukraine endured a extremely powerful Group A3 marketing campaign, dropping all six video games, scoring simply twice and conceding 17 instances as they completed fourth and have been relegated to League B.
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As is the case with lots of NI’s potential play-off opponents, they have been in a tricky group, with World Cup holders , back-to-back Euro winners and Iceland.
If NI have been pitted in opposition to Ukraine, Iya Andrushchak’s facet would little question like to realize revenge for the Euro 2022 play-off by which Kenny Shiels’ facet produced a thumping 4-1 combination victory to achieve a primary main match.
Switzerland
Switzerland gained each their Group B2 conferences with Northern Eire [Getty Images]
World rating: twenty sixth World Cup qualifying group: First in Group B2 Final World Cup: 2023
If Northern Eire draw Switzerland, they’ll have had the proper warm-up for the crunch play-off given the 2 sides confronted off twice after being paired in the identical qualifying group.
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The Swiss gained 2-0 within the opening group recreation and rounded off their unbeaten marketing campaign with a 2-1 win in opposition to NI at Mourneview Park.
Rafel Navarro’s facet gained 5 of their six video games to prime the group and win promotion again to League A.
They performed a second-string facet in opposition to NI in Lurgan and nonetheless eased to victory and boast a number of skilled gamers in addition to younger stars akin to Barcelona’s .
They reached the World Cup in 2015 and once more in 2023, exiting the spherical of 16 on each events and can fancy their probabilities of reaching a 3rd World Cup in Brazil even via the convoluted play-off system.
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Portugal
Portugal beat Northern Eire 4-0 in a Euro 2025 qualifier [Getty Images]
World rating: twenty second World Cup qualifying group: First in Group B3 Final World Cup: 2023
Portugal are the very best ranked facet Northern Eire can face and so they even have current historical past as the 2 sides met in Euro 2025 qualifying.
Portugal gained 4-0 in Leiria after which edged previous NI 2-1 in Mourneview in these video games in 2024.
Francisco Neto’s facet completed prime of Group B3 to return to League A, successful 5 of their six video games and scoring 17 targets.
They’ve a extremely skilled squad and might name upon the likes of fit-again Barca ahead , who scored six targets in qualifying.
A workforce that NI will actually be hoping to keep away from given their pedigree and the very fact they recurrently qualify for main tournaments.
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Scotland
Scottish captain Weir was medical within the group part of qualifying as she scored 10 targets [Getty Images]
World rating: twenty fifth World Cup qualifying group: First in Group B4 Final World Cup: 2019
It will be becoming if Northern Eire have been paired with Scotland for his or her play-off semi-final given boss McArdle’s roots and his earlier work of their affiliation.
The 46-year-old Glaswegian, who was appointed as Tanya Oxtoby’s everlasting successor in March, remains to be primarily based in Scotland after taking up his first full-time senior administration position with NI.
He served as the top of girls’s elite soccer for the SFA and led the Scotland Below-23s workforce and the senior facet for a four-game interim spell final yr earlier than Melissa Andreatta was appointed.
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Below the Australian Andreatta, the Scots completed prime of Group B4, successful 4 of their six video games and drawing the opposite two to earn promotion to League A.
Scotland are aiming to achieve a second World Cup after that includes on the 2019 match and have been prolific within the group part, scoring 24 targets as they thrashed Israel and Luxembourg twice.
Captain , who has swapped for Lyon, is their apparent menace as she discovered the online 10 instances in six video games, however they’ve loads of different skilled operators.
Wales
Wales have been unbeaten in qualifying as they topped Group B1 [Getty Images]
World rating: thirty first World Cup qualifying group: First in Group B1 Final World Cup: By no means certified
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Wales are aiming to create additional historical past after qualifying for his or her first main match once they featured at Euro 2025.
Subsequent on the agenda for ‘s facet is a crack at making an attempt to achieve a primary World Cup, though, like NI, this match could come too quickly for his or her younger however thrilling squad.
They actually gave themselves the perfect likelihood of reaching Brazil by topping Group B1 and successful 4 of their six video games as they earned promotion to League A within the course of.
They have been with out influential , who retired in October, for this marketing campaign, however Hannah Cain stepped up and netted six targets.
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There may be additionally pleasure across the emergence of 19-year-old Mared Griffiths, who has shortly established herself with three targets within the group taking her to 4 in simply 10 Wales video games.
It will actually be an fascinating battle if the 2 younger sides have been pitted in opposition to one another.