Nations League playoff, first leg: Republic of Ireland v Belgium, Aviva Stadium, Friday, 7pm
At the rate ticket sales are going, the Aviva Stadium will be considerably less than half full when the Republic of Ireland take on Belgium on Friday evening. A late October first leg of a Nations League relegation/promotion playoff isn’t, then, stirring a great deal of enthusiasm.
The visitors are suffering from similar apathy, with their manager’s press conference, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, cancelled because of the lack of reporters travelling to Dublin from Belgium to cover the game.
No doubt, the buzz that surrounded Ireland following their qualification for the last World Cup has faded, with last year’s Euro 2025 playoff defeat by Wales a calamitous blow.
The team’s form under Carla Ward since her appointment in January has underwhelmed, while the retirements of Louise Quinn, Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell, Julie-Ann Russell and Megan Campbell has robbed the squad of some of it biggest characters and best-known names.
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It’s time, then, for the current squad to write its own story and rekindle that lost enthusiasm, starting with these games against Belgium. They are critical for both sides, not least because being in the A division of the Nations League makes qualifying for the 2027 World Cup that bit less difficult, guaranteeing at least a playoff to make it to Brazil.
‘Your country needs you’ was the gist of captain Katie McCabe’s message to the fans when she spoke at the stadium on Thursday morning.
“We know how important they are for us, whether in Tallaght or the Aviva. Their energy and the atmosphere they bring gives us that extra lease of life on the pitch. So, yeah, I urge everyone to come out and give us a hand and get behind us because we’re going to need them on Friday night, for sure.”
It’s been a landmark few weeks for McCabe. She turned 30 last month and if she plays in both legs against Belgium, she’ll move on to 100 caps.
“Turned 30, but I still feel only like 24! But yeah, I’m getting close now to the 100th and that is something I always dreamt of. Over the years, watching girls like Emma [Byrne], Denise [O’Sullivan], Louise [Quinn], Áine [O’Gorman], Niamh [Fahey] and Diane [Caldwell] pick up their 100th caps, I sat there thinking, ‘I’d love that to be me one day’.”
“I never take wearing the green shirt for granted, it’s one of the proudest things. And I make sure that every player coming into the team knows that as well, how important it is, how precious it is.”
“But I’m as hungry as ever. The Wales game last year really knocked me, to be honest with you, it really hurt. But it’s made me more hungry than ever to achieve great things with this team. So hopefully I’ll be around for a few more years – which is unfortunate for you, you’ll still have to listen to me.”
