Ireland Ascends to League A in Women’s Nations League, Playoffs Conclude
UEFA’s Women’s Nations League saw dramatic shifts in team standings this week, as the Republic of Ireland secured promotion to League A, while Austria and Denmark successfully maintained their positions in the top flight following the conclusion of all promotion and relegation playoffs on Tuesday. The restructured league system, designed to enhance the competitiveness of women’s national teams and streamline European qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, has already yielded significant results.
Following the league phase, automatic promotions and relegations reshaped the landscape. Four teams – Portugal, Scotland, Switzerland, and Wales – were automatically relegated from League A, while Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine earned promotion from League B. Simultaneously, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, and Romania were relegated from League B, making way for Israel, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, and Slovakia to ascend from League C.
The remaining promotion and relegation questions were settled through a series of intense playoffs. The format pitted the four third-place finishers in League A groups against the four runners-up in League B groups in a two-legged tie, with the home advantage given to the League B teams in the first leg. Victory guarantees a place in League A for the next phase of World Cup qualifying, while defeat means a return to League B.
The Republic of Ireland’s journey to League A was particularly compelling. After securing a 4-2 lead in the first leg against Belgium, fueled by two goals from Katie McCabe, who also celebrated her 100th national team cap on Tuesday, the team faced a resilient response in the second leg. Despite Tessa Wullaert’s two goals bringing Belgium level, a crucial 90th-minute strike from Abbie Larkin sealed Ireland’s promotion and relegated Belgium to League B.
Denmark also confirmed their status in League A with a dominant performance against Finland. A resounding 6-1 victory in the first leg, featuring a brace from captain Pernille Harder and a goal from Sara Holmgaard, set the stage for a comfortable 2-0 win in the return match, with Harder adding another goal from the penalty spot. Austria navigated a tighter contest, overcoming a 1-0 first-leg loss to the Czech Republic with a 2-0 victory at home, secured by a last-minute goal from substitute Jennifer Klein.
Iceland is aiming to continue its strong run in League A, having won all five official matches against Northern Ireland since the current system was introduced in 2023. Their second leg, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed until Wednesday due to heavy snowfall. Northern Ireland hopes to emulate the success of Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine in reaching League A, while Iceland seeks to maintain its consistent presence in the top tier.
Further down the ladder, Albania and Türkiye successfully avoided relegation. Albania secured their League B status with a 3-0 second-leg win over Cyprus, overturning a 2-0 deficit from the first match. Türkiye demonstrated their dominance with a 4-0 victory in Kosovo followed by a 3-0 win in the return leg.
The playoffs also involved matchups between the top third-place teams in League B and the top second-place teams in League C, determining promotion to League B and relegation to League C for the next qualifying phase. The UEFA Women’s Nations League continues to reshape the competitive landscape of European women’s football, providing a clear pathway to the 2027 World Cup and fostering the growth of the game across the continent.
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