Northern Ireland Women's Football Team

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Inpho

Northern Ireland will discover who stands between them and a possible play-off when the draw for 2027 World Cup qualifying takes place on Tuesday.

Qualifying for the tournament, which will be held in Brazil, follows the same format as the Nations League and is split into three tiers.

After their promotion play-off defeat by Iceland, Tanya Oxtoby's side will be in League B for qualifying.

To progress to the play-offs, second seeds NI must not finish bottom of their four-team group.

If Oxtoby's side were to win their group, they would not only earn promotion to League A but their first-round play-off would be against a side who finished second or third in League B.

Likewise, if NI were to finish second or third in their group they would face a side who finished in fourth place in League A or a Group B winner.

The second round of the play-offs are seeded, and if they progress NI would likely face League A opposition.

So, in short, should NI make the play-offs they will have to defeat two strong nations to reach a first-ever World Cup.

Northern Ireland have played all four pot one teams in recent years, with varying results.

Portugal twice ran out winners in Euro 2025 qualifying, while there were friendly defeats by Belgium ahead of Euro 2022 and by Wales the following April.

They twice beat Albania in the 2023 Nations League, and have tasted success against Luxembourg, Malta Montenegro and Latvia in the past.

The fixtures take place in windows across March, April and June, and the play-offs take place in October and November.

Pot One: Belgium, Portugal, Wales & Switzerland

Pot Two: Scotland, Czech Republic, Finland & Northern Ireland

Pot Three: Albania, Turkey, Slovakia, Israel

Pot Four: Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Latvia

It's a huge week for Tanya Oxtoby's side with a two-legged play-off with Iceland to determine whether they'll be promoted to the top tier of Uefa's Nations League competition.

They face Iceland on Friday live on BBC iPlayer (19:00 BST) in the first leg in Ballymena.

What do you think the score will be?

Send us your predictions.

Image source, Getty Images

Iceland fell into the Nations League relegation-promotion play-off after finishing third in their group in League A behind France and Norway.

They didn't actually win a game but draws against Norway and Switzerland were credible, and France only narrowly won the first match between the sides.

Things didn't go as well for Iceland at Euro 2025 as they finished bottom of Group A without a point with Norway, Finland and Switzerland.

In comparison to Northern Ireland, they are ranked 17th in the world while Tanya Oxtoby's side sit in 44th.

Despite a tournament to forget in Switzerland, and their pre-Euros friendly win over Serbia is their only victory in the last 12 months, they still have dangerous players.

Captain Glodis Perla Viggosdottir is an 140-capped defender who plays for Bayern Munich, while goalkeeper Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir and midfielder Karolina Lea Vilhjalmsdottir both play for Inter Milan.

All names to look out for in the double-header.

Image source, Press Eye

Northern Ireland are looking to win promotion League A in the Nations League for the first time.

Since the Nations League started in 2023, Northern Ireland have always been in League B and this is their first shot at reaching the top flight.

Being in League A has a benefit when it comes to qualifying for major tournaments, such as the 2027 World Cip, which follow the same format as the Nations League and sides who are in the top division can benefit from either automatic qualification or joining the play-offs against lower-ranked opposition.

Northern Ireland finished second in their Nations League group behind winners Poland.

NI started League B2 with a 2-0 defeat in Poland in February, and needed captain Simone Magill to pop up with two late goals in a dramatic 3-2 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Larne.

A draw in Romania was followed by Kascie Weir's goal in a 1-0 win in the return game in Belfast, before Poland ran out 4-0 winners at Seaview in May.

Oxtoby's side secured a promotion play-off place with a 1-1 draw with Bosnia in Zenica in May, which was the last time they have played together.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Whether Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby decides to go with four or five at the back for the first leg at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday will influence who starts and plays where.

She has used both systems throughout her tenure, tending to deploy a five against high-quality opposition like Poland and Norway.

If fit enough, you would imagine Sarah McFadden slots straight back in at centre-back given her experience for a big tie which, if NI win, would elevate them into League A.

Having been exposed to the quality of Poland and enjoyed another solid campaign as a regular at Linfield, Abi Sweetlove may be brought in as a more natural centre-back than the other versatile defenders included in the panel.

NI's defensive struggles as a unit that night may count against the young defender however, especially as Iceland are a side ranked 17th in the world who recently competed at Euro 2025, putting three past Norway when losing by the odd goal in seven in their final group game.

If it is a back four, Rebecca McKenna and Rebecca Holloway will likely play at right and left-back.

If it is five, one of Holloway or Natalie Johnson could fill in a centre-back role alongside McFadden and Sweetlove with the other occupying the left-wing back role with McKenna at right wing-back.

Toni-Leigh Finnegan could also come in as a third centre-back as an alternative to one of McFadden, Sweetlove and either Holloway or Johnson.

Another potential option which has been used by Oxtoby in the past when seeking to add more experience to the side is using midfielder Nadene Caldwell at centre-back.

Caldwell, who has won 89 caps, was partnered by Ellie Mason in the home win against Romania and was then deployed in a back three against Poland at Seaview.

So, there are plenty of potential pairings and partnerships, with centre-back places clearly up for grabs for the first leg and the return in Reykjavik on Tuesday in a way few would have expected this time last year.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The absences of Laura Rafferty, Ellie Mason and Rachel Dugdale have paved the way for the welcome return of 38-year-old Durham centre-back Sarah McFadden.

The 106-cap defender has not featured for NI since February 2024 after returning from a long injury lay-off and from giving birth to her second child just six months ago.

The worrisome thing for Northern Ireland is that McFadden has one more cap than the five other defenders listed in the latest squad combined.

The inclusions of Birmingham City duo Rebecca McKenna and Rebecca Holloway were always a given.

McKenna is one of the first names on the team sheet, making the right-back berth her own and racking up 55 caps at just 24.

Holloway is another who has been a regular starter under Oxtoby, either at left-back or as the left-sided centre-back in a three when needed.

That may just be the role she is tasked with playing against Iceland due to the dearth of options NI have available at the moment.

The other three defenders listed have fewer than 10 caps each and, while different ages, all are still really in the infancy of their international careers.

Linfield defender Abi Sweetlove is the least experienced, with her sole cap coming in the 4-0 defeat against Poland at Seaview in May in what was a baptism of fire for the 19-year-old.

Then there is Nottingham Forest's Nat Johnson, who has added five more NI caps since her debut against Croatia last year, steadily growing in stature in the squad through 2025 when filling in at full-back and centre-back.

Finally, there is Aberdeen's Toni-Leigh Finnegan, who won the last of her eight caps in February 2024.

A regular for her Scottish side, she is equally adept at playing centre-back or in holding midfield, where she starred for Cliftonville before her move across the water.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Getty Images and Press Eye

When manager Tanya Oxtoby revealed her Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming Nations League promotion/relegation play-off against Iceland on Friday there were a few headlines.

The absence of captain Simone Magill through a hip injury was the obvious one given her importance to the side.

But another big talking point is the make-up of the defence, which has gone from having a fairly settled look under Oxtoby to quite the overhaul for this window.

Rewind to this time last year and NI's defence, and in particular the centre-back position, appeared stacked but injuries and retirements have since robbed Oxtoby of some of her regular picks.

In an ideal world, she would be able to include Rangers' Laura Rafferty, Charlton's Ellie Mason and Rachel Dugdale in her squad.

Rafferty has not played for NI since their 2-0 loss against Poland in the Nations League in February as she continues her recovery from groin surgery.

Mason stepped up in Rafferty's absence and started NI's remaining five Nations League games after Poland, either as one of the two or three centre-backs deployed, but she is also out injured this window.

Dugdale started four of NI's six fixtures in the Nations League, including their final game, a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in June, as they finished second in Group B1 behind Poland.

That proved to be the 28-year-old's 43rd and final cap as she announced her retirement from football last month.

Cliftonville captain Kelsie Burrows, who has often been a late call-up to NI squads due to injuries, made herself unavailable for this window alongside experienced left-back Demi Vance.

The enforced absences have inevitably led to Oxtoby exploring other avenues to address the personnel problems.

It's a huge week for Tanya Oxtoby's side with a two-legged play-off with Iceland to determine whether they'll be promoted to the top tier of Uefa's Nations League competition.

Since the Nations League started in 2023, Northern Ireland have always been in League B and this is their first shot at reaching the top flight.

But can they do it?

Let us know what you think.