Republic of Ireland to play Poland in final round of 2027 World Cup playoffs
UA.NEWS14
October
2026
01:38
The Republic of Ireland women’s national team in Cork, Ireland, reached the final round of the 2027 World Cup qualifying playoffs after the second-leg match against Kazakhstan. The Irish scored four goals, including one from captain Katie McCabe, and are now two matches away from a place at the tournament in Brazil, BBC Sport reports.
Matches against Poland
Carla Ward’s team will face Poland in the decisive round. Poland advanced past Belgium in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw on aggregate over two matches. In April, the Irish national team had already beaten Poland twice in qualifying.
McCabe said the team must focus on preparation over the next six weeks. She noted that the upcoming matches will differ from the previous ones because a place at the World Cup will be at stake. One of the key players in the Polish national team is Barcelona forward Ewa Pajor.
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National team progress
The Irish improved after a 0-4 home defeat to Slovenia in February 2025, which was Ward’s second match as head coach. The team beat Belgium in the promotion playoffs and advanced to League A of the Nations League. Ireland also defeated the Netherlands and drew with France, retaining its place in the elite division.
McCabe, 31, moved from Arsenal to Chelsea this summer after her contract with the London club expired. She said the change of team was a new stage for her and helped her enjoy football again. Ireland first played at the Women’s World Cup in Australia in 2023.
Source: www.bing.com
