NORTHERN Ireland will play Croatia, eight places behind them in the FIFA rankings, in the first round of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 play-offs in October.
And if they defeat the Croatians in the two-legged contest they will face the winners of the R1 tie between Norway and Albania home and away in a play-off for a slot at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland.
Northern Ireland were seeded for Friday’s R1 play-off draw at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland thanks to their 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belfast earlier this week.
The win against the Bosnians ensured Tanya Oxtoby’s team were one of the three best-ranked runners-up in League B in the league phase of the Women’s Euro qualifiers.
Oxtoby’s side have been placed in Round 1 Path 2 of the play-offs.
In R1 Path 2 the three group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League B were drawn into six ties against the remaining play-off contenders from League B. The six winners will progress to the second round.
In R1 Path 1 the teams finishing third and fourth in League A will play the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C. The eight winners will progress to the second round.
The seven winners of the Round 2 home-and-away ties will join hosts Switzerland and the teams that finished in the top two positions in the four League A groups in the 16 December finals draw in Lausanne, Switzerland. The direct qualifiers are Denmark, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands and Spain.
The draw for both rounds was made at UEFA HQ in Nyon, with R1 matches played between 23 and 29 October and R2 games between 27 November and 3 December.
Northern Ireland will be away to Croatia in the first leg of their R1 play-off. If they progress to R2 they will play either Norway or Albania at home first.
The Northern Ireland senior women’s team have previously played Croatia five times, winning four matches and losing one. The teams last met in the Istria Cup in 2016 when a Kirsty McGuinness goal gave Northern Ireland a 1-0 win.
Their record against Norway is played eight, won one and lost seven, while they have played Albania twice in the past, winning both games.
Northern Ireland last faced the Norwegians at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 when they were defeated 4-1 in their opening group game at the tournament.
In the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking list Norway are in 16th position, Northern Ireland are in 48th, Croatia 56th and Albania 73rd.
Croatia finished third in four-team League B Group 4 on nine points behind winners Wales (14 points) and runners-up Ukraine (11 points).
Albania won three-team League C Group 5 (nine points from four games), while Norway finished third in four-team League A Group 1 on seven points behind winners Italy (nine) and runners-up Netherlands (nine).
The Republic of Ireland women have been drawn first against Georgia with Slovakia or Wales awaiting the winners.
