The Republic of Ireland have been allocated a challenging fixture list for the 2027 UEFA Nations League, with the headline match against world champions Spain scheduled in League A.
Northern Ireland will compete in League B3, having joined Poland, Finland and Belarus in this tier following their Women's World Cup play-off defeat by the Polish side in December.
Carla Ward's Republic of Ireland squad are tasked with retaining their position in the top division after facing Nations League holders Spain, Norway and Switzerland.
Spain, who secured the 2024 and 2025 editions of the competition, represent the primary opposition for the Irish Republic alongside Norway and Switzerland.
Norway, ranked 13th globally with key players including Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerbeg, present significant difficulty despite the Republic of Ireland holding a higher world ranking at 21st.
Northern Ireland have maintained their status in League B since the competition's inception in 2023, having never been promoted or relegated.
Poland, led by Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor, defeated Northern Ireland twice during the 2025 season and currently sit at 22nd place, making them the top-ranked team in their group.
The Irish Republic will need to secure maximum points from both fixtures against Poland and Belarus to avoid automatic relegation to League C after winning two matches against the latter in 2021.
Fixtures remain unconfirmed by UEFA but are expected to be played during international windows in February or March, April and June.