Northern Ireland women's national football team

Northern Ireland
Association	Irish Football Association (IFA)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Tanya Oxtoby
Captain	Simone Magill
Most caps	Julie Nelson (125)
Top scorer	Rachel Furness (38)
FIFA code	NIR
First colours	Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	44 (6 March 2025)
Highest	44 (December 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)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2035)
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. They are set to participate in the World Cup for the first time in 2035 as they automatically qualified as co-host along with other three countries in the United Kingdom.

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]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of matches in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

Win Draw Lose Fixture

2024

23 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches	Montenegro	0–2	Northern Ireland	Podgorica
14:00		Report	Wade 70' Vance 90+1'	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)	C. Costa 25' (pen.) Alves 49', 90+6' Amado 83'	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)	Wade 5'	Report	Nazareth 18' Norton 30'	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)	Wade 114'	Report		Stadium: Windsor Park

29 November Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs	Northern Ireland	0–4	Norway	Larne, Northern Ireland
19:00 UTC+0		Report	Graham Hansen 7', 26' Hansen 14' Bergsvand 67'	Stadium: Inver Park Attendance: 1,866 Referee: Ivana Martinčić (Croatia)

3 December Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs	Norway	3–0 (7–0 agg.)	Northern Ireland	Oslo, Norway
18:00 UTC+1	Graham Hansen 13' Maanum 47' Jensen 78'	Report		Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion Attendance: 3,155 Referee: Jelena Cvetković (Serbia)
Note: Norway won 7–0 on aggregate, and qualified for the finals.

2025

21 February 2025 UEFA Nations League	Poland	2–0	Northern Ireland	Gdańsk,Poland
20:45	Kamczyk 17' Achcińska 20'	Report		Stadium: Gdańsk Stadium Attendance: 2,700 Referee: Emanuela Rusta (Albania)

25 February 2025 UEFA Nations League	Northern Ireland	3–2	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Larne,Northern Ireland
20:00 (19:00 GMT)	McPartlan 15' Magill 89', 90+2'	Report	Ekić 46' Milinković 49'	Stadium: Inver Park Attendance: 1,303 Referee: Caroline Lanssens (Belgium)

Coaching staff

Manager history

Alfie Wylie (2004–2019)^[5]
Kenny Shiels (2019–2023)^[6]^[7]
Tanya Oxtoby (2023–)^[1]

Players

Current squad

The following players were named to the squad for the UEFA Women's Nations League matches against Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina on 21 and 25 February 2025, respectively.^[8]
Caps and goals updated as of 5 December 2023 after the match against Republic of Ireland.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1GK	Maddy Harvey-Clifford	(2002-05-06) 6 May 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Crusaders
1GK	Jacqueline Burns	(1997-03-06) 6 March 1997 (age 28)	48	0	Reading
1GK	Rachael Norney	(2004-06-18) 18 June 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Liverpool Feds

2DF	Rebecca Holloway	(1995-08-25) 25 August 1995 (age 29)	22	3	Birmingham City
2DF	Rebecca McKenna	(2001-04-13) 13 April 2001 (age 23)	33	2	Charlton Athletic
2DF	Ellie Mason	(1996-02-16) 16 February 1996 (age 29)	4	0	Birmingham City
2DF	Laura Rafferty	(1996-04-29) 29 April 1996 (age 28)	38	0	Southampton
2DF	Rachel Dugdale	(1996-11-19) 19 November 1996 (age 28)	24	0	Reading
2DF	Natalie Johnson	(1999-11-28) 28 November 1999 (age 25)		0	Nottingham Forest Women
2DF	Kelsie Burrows	(2001-02-22) 22 February 2001 (age 24)	13	0	Cliftonville

3MF	Joely Andrews	(2002-04-20) 20 April 2002 (age 22)	17	1	Glentoran
3MF	Chloe McCarron	(1997-12-22) 22 December 1997 (age 27)	35	1	Glentoran
3MF	Louise McDaniel	(2000-05-24) 24 May 2000 (age 24)			Burnley
3MF	Brenna McPartlan	(1999-09-01) 1 September 1999 (age 25)	2	0	Burnley
3MF	Megan Bell	(2001-04-17) 17 April 2001 (age 23)	25	2	Hearts
2DF	Connie Scofield	(1999-03-29) 29 March 1999 (age 26)		0	London City Lionesses

4FW	Lauren Wade	(1999-05-26) 26 May 1999 (age 25)	54	9	Reading
4FW	Kerry Beattie	(2002-09-27) 27 September 2002 (age 22)	10	3	Glentoran
4FW	Emily Wilson	(2001-08-26) 26 August 2001 (age 23)	21	1	Glentoran
4FW	Simone Magill (captain)	(1994-11-01) 1 November 1994 (age 30)	78	24	Aston Villa
4FW	Keri Halliday	(2005-02-11) 11 February 2005 (age 20)	1	0	Linfield
4FW	Danielle Maxwell	(2002-04-09) 9 April 2002 (age 23)	9	2	Burnley
4FW	Caragh Hamilton	(1996-10-18) 18 October 1996 (age 28)	38	6	Lewes

Recent call-ups

The following players have been named to a squad in the past 12 months.
This list may be incomplete.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Shannon Turner	(1997-09-08) 8 September 1997 (age 27)	6	0	Wolverhampton Wanderers	v. Montenegro, 27 February 2024
GK	Lilie Woods	(2003-08-29) 29 August 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Mid-Ulster	v. Hungary, 31 October 2023
GK	Lauren Perry	(2001-04-05) 5 April 2001 (age 24)	5	0	Montrose	v. Croatia, 29 October 2024

DF	Abbie Magee	(2000-11-15) 15 November 2000 (age 24)	12	0	Cliftonville	v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 9 April 2024
DF	Sarah McFadden	(1987-05-23) 23 May 1987 (age 37)	104	9	Durham	v. Montenegro, 27 February 2024
DF	Demi Vance	(1991-05-02) 2 May 1991 (age 33)	90	4	Glentoran	v. Croatia,29 October 2024
DF	Rachel McLaren	(2002-11-19) 19 November 2002 (age 22)	1	0	Crusaders	v. Croatia,29 October 2024

MF	Rachel Furness	(1988-06-19) 19 June 1988 (age 36)	95	38	Bristol City	v. Hungary, 31 October 2023 ^INJ
MF	Nadene Caldwell	(1991-01-24) 24 January 1991 (age 34)	78	2	Glentoran	v. Croatia, 29 October 2024
MF	Marissa Callaghan	(1985-09-02) 2 September 1985 (age 39)	86	9	Cliftonville	v. Croatia, 29 October 2024

FW	Caitlin McGuinness	(2002-08-30) 30 August 2002 (age 22)	18	1	Cliftonville	v. Hungary, 31 October 2023
FW	Kirsty McGuinness	(1994-11-04) 4 November 1994 (age 30)	57	14	Cliftonville	v. Albania, 26 September 2023
FW	Casey Howe	(2002-09-02) 2 September 2002 (age 22)	3	0	Athlone Town	v. Norway, 3 December 2024

Notes:

^INJ Withdrew due to injury.
^WD Withdrew from the squad due to non-injury or medical issue

Records

Statistics correct as of 5 December 2023.
Active players in bold.

Most caps

Rank	Name	Career	Caps
1	Julie Nelson	2004–	126
2	Ashley Hutton	2005–	114
3	Sarah McFadden	2005–	104
4	Rachel Furness	2005–	95
5	Demi Vance	2009–	90
6	Marissa Callaghan	2010–	86
7	Nadene Caldwell	2009–	78
7	Simone Magill	2010–	78
9	Kirsty McGuinness	2010–	57
10	Lauren Wade	2015–	54

Most goals

Rank	Name	Career	Caps	Goals
1	Rachel Furness	2005–	95	38
2	Simone Magill	2010–	78	24
3	Kirsty McGuinness	2010–	57	14
4	Marissa Callaghan	2010–	86	9
	Ashley Hutton	2005–	114
	Sarah McFadden	2005–	104
	Julie Nelson	2004–	126
	Lauren Wade	2015–	54
9	Caragh Hamilton	2012–	38	6
10	Demi Vance	2009–	90	4

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]

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GD
FIFA Women's World Cup record									Qualification record
1991	Did not qualify								UEFA EURO 1991
1995	Did not enter								UEFA EURO 1995
1999									Did not enter
2003									Did not enter
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
2031	To be determined								To be determined
2035	Qualified								Qualified as co-host
Total	1/12	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	44	13	11	23	58	89	−31

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Championship

Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	GP	W	D*	L	GF	GA	P/R	Rnk
UEFA Women's Championship record								Qualifying record
1984	Did not qualify							6	0	0	6	5	21	–
1987	Did not qualify							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	Did not qualify							10	4	2	4	10	15	^[a]	23rd
Total	1/14	3	0	0	3	1	11	65	17	8	40	72	175	23rd

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Nations League

UEFA Women's Nations League record
Season	League	Group	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK
2023–24	B	1	3rd	8	3	2	3	12	14	*	26th
2025	B	1	To be determined
Total				8	3	2	3	12	14	26th

	Promoted at end of season
	No movement at end of season
	Relegated at end of season
*	Participated in promotion/relegation play-offs

Notes

^ From Euro 2025 onwards a new qualifying format was introduced, linked to the Women's Nations League where teams are divided into leagues with promotion/relegation between the leagues at the end of each cycle.

References

^ ^a ^b Archer, Kenny (1 September 2023). "New Northern Ireland women's manager Tanya Oxtoby targeting top tournaments". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
^ "Women's National Teams Coefficient Overview" (PDF). UEFA. 24 February 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
^ VAVEL.com (29 September 2021). "Northern Ireland Women move to a full-time international set-up". VAVEL. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
^ "Alfie Wylie leaves role as Northern Ireland women's manager after 15 years to take new IFA job". Belfast Telegraph. 12 April 2019.
^ "Kenny Shiels: Former Kilmarnock boss appointed Northern Ireland senior women's manager". BBC Sport. 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
^ "Kenny Shiels: Northern Ireland women's manager leaves role". BBC Sport. 31 January 2023.
^ "Oxtoby names squad for Women's Nations League games". Irish Football Association. 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
^ Fullerton, Gareth (7 October 2017). "Northern Ireland striker recognised for scoring fastest goal ever!". belfastlive. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019.

External links

[10] From Euro 2025 onwards a new qualifying format was introduced, linked to the Women's Nations League where teams are divided into leagues with promotion/relegation between the leagues at the end of each cycle.

[:0-1] Archer, Kenny (1 September 2023). "New Northern Ireland women's manager Tanya Oxtoby targeting top tournaments". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.

[FIFA_Women's_World_Rankings-2] "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.

[3] "Women's National Teams Coefficient Overview" (PDF). UEFA. 24 February 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.

[4] VAVEL.com (29 September 2021). "Northern Ireland Women move to a full-time international set-up". VAVEL. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.

[5] "Alfie Wylie leaves role as Northern Ireland women's manager after 15 years to take new IFA job". Belfast Telegraph. 12 April 2019.

[6] "Kenny Shiels: Former Kilmarnock boss appointed Northern Ireland senior women's manager". BBC Sport. 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.

[7] "Kenny Shiels: Northern Ireland women's manager leaves role". BBC Sport. 31 January 2023.

[8] "Oxtoby names squad for Women's Nations League games". Irish Football Association. 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.

[9] Fullerton, Gareth (7 October 2017). "Northern Ireland striker recognised for scoring fastest goal ever!". belfastlive. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019.

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Northern Ireland national football team
General	Irish Football Association Ireland national football team (1882–1950) Managers
Venues	Windsor Park Celtic Park Solitude Grosvenor Park The Oval Dalymount Park Balmoral Showgrounds Bloomfield Ulster Cricket Ground
Results	1882–99 1900–29 1930–59 1960–79 1980–99 2000–19 2020–present Matches v Home Nations
Statistics	Records & Statistics U21 Records & Statistics
Players	Players Pre-1950 players Dual Ireland footballers
Goals	David Healy
World Finals	Summary 1958 1982 1986
European Finals	Summary 2016
Other tournaments	British Home Championship (1884–1984) 2011 Nations Cup
Culture	Green and White Army Rivalry with the Republic of Ireland
Other teams	Women's B Amateur (defunct) U-23 U-21 U-19 U-18 Schools U-17 U-16 Schools Juniors

National women's football teams of Europe (UEFA)
Active	Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia Faroe Islands Finland France Georgia Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland Israel Italy Kazakhstan Kosovo Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Northern Ireland Norway Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania Russia San Marino Scotland Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Wales
Defunct	Czechoslovakia East Germany Serbia and Montenegro Soviet Union Yugoslavia
Other	Great Britain Vatican City

National sports teams of Northern Ireland
Men	Cricket Football B U23 U21 U19 U18 U17 U16 CP Futsal Volleyball
Women	Football U19 U17 Netball Volleyball
Multi-sport events	Commonwealth Games

Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft