Ireland fall to France 1-0, shift focus to World Cup play-offs
A 1-0 loss to France in Grenoble ended Ireland's automatic World Cup hopes, but a third-place group finish secures a seeded play-off route to Brazil 2027.
Match in Grenoble
The Republic of Ireland women's team fell 1-0 to France at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble on Tuesday night. Melvine Malard's acrobatic overhead kick shortly before half-time proved the difference. France dominated early, but Ireland grew into the game, especially after Thiniba Samoura's 72nd-minute red card. Anna Patten and Abbie Larkin missed clear chances to equalise.
It's taken a moment of magic, an overhead kick from a wonderful individual, a wonderful talent, to win them the game. They haven't cut open our back line too often.
Seeded play-off pathway
Ireland finish third in Group A, behind France and the Netherlands. That placing grants a seeded position in the two-legged play-offs. The draw takes place in Zurich on 18 June. Ireland will first play a semi-final against a League C nation (Romania, Greece, Kosovo, Hungary, Croatia, Belarus, Kazakhstan or Lithuania) on 7 and 13 October. If they advance, a final follows on 26 November and 5 December against a League A bottom-place or League B side.
- Play-off draw takes place in Zurich
- Semi-final first leg against League C opponent
- Semi-final second leg
- Final first leg (if qualified)
- Final second leg (if qualified)
The potential final opponents include Belgium, whom Ireland beat in a promotion play-off last October, plus Finland, Scotland, Portugal, Switzerland or Wales. Ireland's world ranking of 21 puts them well above the League C contenders.
- Ireland
- 21
- Hungary
- 45
- Greece
- 59
- Romania
- 53
- Belarus
- 52
- Kosovo
- 85
- Lithuania
- 94
- Croatia
- 63
- Kazakhstan
- 100
Manager and players react
Carla Ward stressed pride in the performance and said the team would improve before October.
I'm incredibly proud of this group and I said it to them there. We've got a special, special group who work unbelievably hard.
Captain Katie McCabe acknowledged the first-half caution but praised the second-half response.
In an ideal world we win tonight and we go to the World Cup but it's not to be. We have to obviously recover now in the offseason and come back in October.
McCabe added that the team will fight for qualification the hard way.
The road to Brazil
The top two in each League A group qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. Ireland, having been promoted from League B only last October, were the only promoted side not to be relegated back. They recorded three wins, including a notable victory over the Netherlands in Cork, and pushed France to the limit.
Ward noted the team's growth: "This campaign we have grown and got better and better. Whether we had won, drawn or lost tonight we wanted to continue on the journey." She expects the team to be even stronger when the play-offs begin.
