Belfast stadium to host NI v the Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland’s final Women’s Nations League match against the Republic of Ireland will take place on 5 December at Windsor Park.

Traditionally, Tanya Oxtoby’s team plays their home matches at Seaview.

NI has had two matches at the redeveloped Windsor Park, winning against Latvia in September 2021 and losing to England in April 2022.

The Republic of Ireland has secured victory in Group B1, but Northern Ireland still has a chance to finish second behind their neighbors.

The previous meeting between the two teams at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, in September, was the first women’s international match held there. The Republic of Ireland emerged as 3-0 winners in front of a crowd of 35,994 spectators.

In their past two matches at the redeveloped National Stadium, Northern Ireland enjoyed a 3-0 triumph over Latvia in September 2021, marking their first fixture at the Belfast stadium in nine years. However, their success was short-lived as England defeated them 5-0 just months before winning Euro 2022.

While Northern Ireland’s men’s team plays their home fixtures at the 18,500-capacity stadium, the women’s side usually plays at Seaview, the home of Irish Premiership club Crusaders.

“To have a major senior women’s international match at the National Stadium at Windsor Park is a testament to the growth of women’s football in Northern Ireland,” expressed Oxtoby. She also mentioned that her team drew 1-1 with Hungary at Seaview on Tuesday.

“Personally, it will be an especially memorable occasion for me to manage the team there for the first time. Not only do I believe that the players will benefit from this, but our wonderful fans will create an atmosphere that will help the team deliver their best performance,” she added.

Both teams have participated in their first major tournaments in the past 18 months, as Northern Ireland competed in Euro 2022 and the Republic of Ireland made their debut at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July.

Angela Platt, the director of women’s football at the Irish FA, also expressed her enthusiasm about the match: “The National Football Stadium at Windsor Park is not only the home of football in Northern Ireland, but a place we are immensely proud of. It is fitting that this fixture will be hosted here. We are excited to welcome our neighbors from the Republic of Ireland, and we anticipate a fantastic contest.”

“This match will not only showcase how far the women’s game has come in Northern Ireland, but also its continuous growth across the entire island of Ireland,” she concluded.