Northern Ireland learn potential World Cup play-off opponents

Northern Ireland will discover their 2027 Women's World Cup play-off semi-final opponents in Thursday's draw, with the unseeded side facing a tough path to a first ever World Cup appearance.

Michael McArdle's team finished third in Group B2, securing a play-off spot after two wins against Malta. They will be unseeded for both the semi-final and the final, meaning they cannot choose their opposition.

Potential opponents

Among the seeded sides they could face are Portugal, Switzerland, Scotland, and Wales. However, two likely opponents given the seeding structure are Slovenia and Poland, both of whom have never qualified for a World Cup.

Slovenia, ranked 38th in the world, finished fourth in Group A4 and suffered relegation to League B. Despite this, they beat Austria in qualification and thrashed the Republic of Ireland 4-0 in a Nations League match in February 2025.

Poland, ranked 29th, ended their Group A2 campaign without a win and were also relegated. They possess Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor, who has scored 71 international goals, but have conceded heavily in recent matches.

• Northern Ireland will be unseeded in both the two-legged semi-final and final of the play-offs.
• Slovenia and Poland are among the lower-ranked potential opponents, but both have dangerous attacking threats.
• Even if Northern Ireland win the four-game play-off path, they may still need to enter the inter-confederation play-offs as the lowest-ranked European winner.
• McArdle's side previously defied odds to qualify for Euro 2022 via the play-offs.

What's next?

The draw on Thursday will set Northern Ireland's semi-final opponent, with the two-legged tie scheduled for later this year. McArdle's young squad will hope to replicate their underdog success from 2021, but the road to a maiden World Cup remains arduous.