Nickname(s) | The Girls in Green |
---|---|
Association | Women's Football Association of Ireland |
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
Head coach | Susan Ronan |
Captain | Emma Byrne |
Top scorer | Olivia O'Toole (54) |
Home stadium | Tallaght Stadium |
FIFA code | IRL |
FIFA ranking | |
Current | 33 1 (25 March 2016) |
Highest | 27 (December 2008) |
Lowest | 38 (July 2003) |
First international | |
Scotland 10–1 Republic of Ireland (Greenock, Scotland; 22 April 1973) |
|
Biggest win | |
Malta 0–9 Republic of Ireland (Ta' Qali, Malta; 22 October 2003) Republic of Ireland 9–0 Montenegro (Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland; 7 June 2016) |
|
Biggest defeat | |
Sweden 10–0 Republic of Ireland (Borås, Sweden; 20 September 1992) |
The Republic of Ireland women's national football team represents the Republic of Ireland in competitions such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Women's Championship. The Republic of Ireland has yet to qualify for a major tournament. It has, however, taken part in invitational tournaments such as the Algarve Cup, the Istria Cup and the Cyprus Cup. It is organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland.
In 1973 the Women's Football Association of Ireland was established and in the same year on 22 April the Republic of Ireland made their international debut with a 10–1 defeat in an away friendly game against Scotland. They made their competitive debut on 19 September 1982 in a 1984 European Competition for Women's Football qualifier, also against Scotland. This time the Republic of Ireland lost just 3–0. On 2 October 1982 the Republic of Ireland gained their first competitive win when they defeated Northern Ireland 2–1 in an away game in the same competition. After losing 10–0 to Sweden in a Euro 1993 qualifier, the FAI did not enter a team in the 1995 competition. This defeat against Sweden remains the team's biggest defeat.
During the 2000s the Republic of Ireland enjoyed some minor successes. In 2000 they won the Celt Cup – a four team tournament that also featured Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In their 2005 UEFA Women's Euro campaign they also won their second level group, finishing above Romania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Malta. This effectively saw them promoted to the elite group of nations which competed directly for qualification to major tournaments. The Republic of Ireland also won their group at the 2013 Cyprus Cup, finishing above South Korea, South Africa and Northern Ireland.