THE Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland will find out on Friday who they will face in the Euro 2025 qualification play-offs after impressive results this week.
The Republic defeat France in Cork on Tuesday night while Northern Ireland saw off Bosnia and Herzegovina at Windsor Park on the same night. Both now turn their attentions to the two-legged play-offs which will take place in October and November.
Despite finishing bottom of group A3 with only three points, the Republic of Ireland will progress to the Euro 2025 play-off rounds and will be boosted with a dominant 3-1 victory over an albeit under-strength France on Tuesday in their final matchday.
As Ireland have finished fourth in League A, they will play one of the winners or three best-ranked runners-up in League C in the first round of the play-offs.
Northern Ireland women secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday in a vital contest to clinch a second placed finish behind Portugal in group B3.
The NI women secured their position as one of the three best-ranked runners-up in League B and will be drawn against one of the remaining runners-up, four third-placed teams and best fourth-placed team in League B in the play-offs’ opening fixture.
When is the play-off draw?
The play-off draw begins at 1pm on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland and will set the ties for two rounds of two-legged play-offs, as 28 teams compete for the last seven finals slot of the women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland from July 2 - 27 next year.
The draw for both rounds will be made, with round one played between October, 23 and 29 and round two between November 27 and December 3.
The seven round two winners will join hosts Switzerland and direct qualifiers Denmark, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain in the December 16 finals draw in Lausanne.
Who is in the play-offs?
In play-offs from League A: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Finland, Norway, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden
In play-offs from League B: Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Wales
In play-offs from League C: Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Greece, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia
Who could Republic of Ireland face in the play-offs
Ireland will be placed into the Path One seed and will be drawn against any of the eight unseeded teams in this path.
The unseeded balls in this path will be drawn first and the team selected will host the first game at home within the tie.
As a seeded team, Ireland’s first game will be away from home.
The Irish women could be facing any team from Slovenia, Romania, Belarus, Greece, Albania, Luxembourg, Montenegro or Georgia. They will have no possibility of being drawn against any of the other seeded teams.
Seeded: Sweden, Norway, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Czechia, Republic of Ireland, Poland
Unseeded: Slovenia, Romania, Belarus, Greece, Albania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Georgia
Who could Northern Ireland face in the play-offs
Northern Ireland will be placed into the Path Two seed and will be drawn against any of the six unseeded teams in this path.
The unseeded balls in this path will be drawn first and the team selected will host the first game at home within the tie.
Northern Ireland’s women will also be playing their first game away from home due to being a seeded team.
The NI women could be facing any team from Türkiye, Croatia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Azerbaijan. They will have no possibility of being drawn against any of the other seeded teams.