NORTHERN Ireland Women’s eagerly anticipated Euro 2025 home play-off match against Norway will be played at Inver Park on Friday, November 29, with a 7.00pm kick-off.
Larne’s ground has been chosen as the National Stadium at Windsor Park is unavailable with Linfield set to host Portadown in the Sports Direct Premiership less than 24 hours later.
The second leg of the play-off, with the winners going forward to next year’s finals in Switzerland, will be staged in Oslo on Tuesday, December 3 with a 5.00pm kick off.
Northern Ireland will need every advantage against the clear favourites and two-time European champions who have only lost one international this year and reached this stage by beating Albania 14-0 on aggregate.
Small margins matter at this level and Tanya Oxtoby’s side could benefit from playing at the more compact Inver Park in front of a likely 2,500 sellout crowd, creating a passionate atmosphere.
Inver’s synthetic surface may also help Oxtoby’s team, with her players from the local Sports Direct Women’s Premiership massively experienced on this type of 3G pitch.
Northern Ireland set up the clash with Norway, who they also faced in the Euro 2022 finals in England, losing 4-1, thanks to Lauren Wade’s stunning extra-time strike which secured a 2-1 aggregate victory over Croatia at Windsor Park in front of 4,000 fans – so some will be disappointed by the Inver Park switch.
