
Ireland's WNT to face Belgium at the Aviva in first leg of Nations League play-off
They will play the return leg on Tuesday October 28 and should the aggregate scores over the two games remain level extra-time will be played followed by a penalty shoot-out if required. Ireland finished second in Group two in League B on goal difference have an opportunity to secure promotion to League A if they overcome Belgium in their two leg play-off.
The game at the Aviva will be the fifth outing for the WNT side at the national venue and to date have attracted a collective attendence of 117,438 spectators.
Speaking on the clash being played at the Aviva, head coach Carla Ward said: 'The game against Belgium is massive for us in wanting to get promoted to League A in the UEFA Nations League but also with helping us in the qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA World Cup, so it is fantastic that we will play the first leg in the Aviva Stadium.
'The Aviva Stadium is one of the best stadiums in the world and I've been there as a fan on nights when the Irish fans create the atmosphere that they are famous for and it is really special. I'd encourage our fans to help make this another memorable night by securing their ticket and getting behind the team.'
Ticket and full match details will be announced over the coming weeks.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


RTÉ News
21 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Ferrand-Prevot takes control at Tour de France Femmes
France's Pauline Ferrand-Prevot powered to victory on the mountainous stage eight of the Tour de France Femmes on Saturday, dropping her rivals before the Col de la Madeleine summit to claim the yellow jersey on the eve of the finale. The 33-year-old, who won the Paris-Roubaix Femmes in April, attacked seven kilometres from the summit to overtake Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl–Trek) and Yara Kastelijn (Fenix–Deceuninck) before riding clear. The Visma–Lease a Bike rider crossed the line one minute 45 seconds ahead of Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance–Soudal), with Fisher-Black in third two minutes 15 seconds behind. Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) was best of the Irish trio, coming home in 64th. Gillespie is 94th in the general classification. Mia Griffin (Roland le Devoluy) was 113th and is now 100th overall, while Fiona Mangan (Winspace Orange Seal) - who became the first Irish rider to win an intermediate sprint at the event on Friday - was 125th today and lies in 114th on the GC. Mangan is 34th in the points classification. Reflecting on her stage win, Ferrand-Prevot said: "It was super painful, the last kilometre, because I wanted to have a gap as big as possible for tomorrow. I also wanted to enjoy it but it's not over until you cross the finish line. I'm so happy we made it." Ferrand-Prevot's Visma teammate Marion Bunel, who was with her in the early breakaway, dropped back to pace her on the Col de la Madeleine. "I can't wait to see my teammates and to share this jersey with them because they have been a big, big part of this victory and this yellow jersey," Ferrand-Prevot added. "For sure I will give everything for the jersey tomorrow. My teammates will be there to support me, so it makes me feel a bit more relaxed about it." Ferrand-Prevot, Paris Olympics gold medallist in cross-country mountain biking, will take her commanding lead into Sunday's final stage, aiming to become the first Frenchwoman to win the Tour de France Femmes. It was a third straight stage victory for France which capped an aggressive display from Ferrand-Prevot, who started the day 26 seconds off the general classification leader Kimberley Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal). Her win put her in the overall lead, with Gigante, two minutes 37 seconds adrift, the only general classification favourite still able to challenge her on the final 124.1km mountain ride from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel. Mauritian Le Court crashed on the descent from the Col du Frene with 63km remaining, briefly trailing the peloton by about a minute before resuming her chase. She rejoined later, but her effort to set the pace for teammate Gigante, combined with the relentless climbing, cost her dearly in the general classification, dropping her to 11th place.


RTÉ News
21 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Stage win on the Tour de France 'a dream come true' for Healy
Winning a stage on the Tour de France was a "dream come true" for Ben Healy, who also reflected on the attention he received when he got to wear the famous Yellow Jersey. This year's Tour was the second of the EF Education-EasyPost rider's career. The English-born 24-year-old, who qualified to race for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, became just the fourth Irish cyclist to wear the Yellow Jersey, following a storming third-place Bastille Day performance. This came in the wake of his victory on stage six - his maiden stage triumph at the Tour de France. Healy was placed ninth when the Tour concluded in Paris on Sunday last. To cap things off, he also won the Super Combativity award for his performances during the three-week event. Ahead of the final stage, the Healey emerged victorious in the shortlist of eight riders decided by a combination of a public vote and the race jury. Jonas Abrahamsen of the Uno-X Mobility came out on top in the public vote via social media but the expert jury ultimately swung it in Healy's favour. The award came with a €20,000 prize and a place on the podium in Paris. He is the second Irishman to earn the award after Dan Martin in 2018. Speaking to Des Cahill on RTÉ Radio's Saturday Sport, Healy reflected on his Tour experience, when saying: "I'm taking the time to appreciate what I've done. It was a dream come true to win a stage, that was the main goal, to keep your focus and get the Yellow. I don't think I could have asked for a better Tour." "And as for getting to war the famed yellow jersey, he added: "So few guys in their career get to think about wearing the yellow jersey. When the opportunity presented itself I took it with both hands. In France so many people recognize you for it." Healy's attention is now turning to September's World Championships in Rwanda and the prospect of waring another iconic jersey. "It would be a dream to wear that [rainbow] jersey; it's another iconic one in cycling. I will definite be chasing that for a few years. "I need a few hills; the championships is always a hard day out, but the one-day racing does suit me. It's Rwanda this year, then Montreal and France after that. All pretty good course for me."


Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Dunne takes another F2 podium and narrows gap to leader
Irish racer Alex Dunne (Rodin Motorsport) took another podium place in this season's F2 Championship securing the runner-up spot in today's Budapest Sprint Race where the Clonbullogue teenager fought out a thrilling final lap duel with Spain's Josep Maria Marti (Campos Racing). Although Dunne remains fourth in the championship, he has narrowed a pre-race 11-point deficit to series leader Leonardo Fornaroli (Invicta Racing) to seven points. Polesitter Marti made a great start but Dunne was eclipsed by British driver Arvid Lindblad, who made it a Campos Racing 1-2. As the race progressed Lindblad closed on team mate Marti with Dunne third as the top three pulled out a gap over the chasing pack headed by Victor Martins. Although Lindblad went ahead at Turn 1 on Lap 8, Marti retook the lead on the switchback. Their duel allowed Dunne and Martins to close. At the beginning of Lap 19, Dunne, who had waited patiently before filling the mirrors of Lindblad, dived inside the Briton at Turn 1 to move into P2. Lindblad then came under pressure from Crawford as Marti and Dunne went 4.7s clear of the pack. The Safety Car was deployed on Lap 22, to allow Sebastian Montoya's car to be removed from the main straight. When racing resumed Lindblad regained third. A slight error from Marti at T5 allowed the hard-charging Dunne to within an overtaking manoeuvre as they went wheel-to-wheel on the final sector with Marti just about holding off the rapid Offaly driver as they crossed the finish line just 0.225s apart. Crawford was third. At the post race press conference Dunne said:"I think Pepe made a bit of a mistake into T5 and I kind of had my hopes up a little bit, hoping that there was an opportunity, but no, I think he defended it pretty well I tried to go around the outside of 13 and there wasn't quite enough room to make it happen, I think that's just how it goes that's racing. It was a fun battle I think I managed my tyres through the race." On regaining second place, he added: "I felt like that's something I have always been good at through the year, going in late on the brakes and making those types of moves. I felt like the pace was strong but I think Arvid was kind of pushing quite hard and being stuck in the DRS of Pepe but not quite enough to be able to overtake. To be honest, I got bored of just sitting there saving tyre the whole race so I pushed two laps to try and get close and I saw an opportunity so I just went for it." Following the conclusion of the race Arvid Lindblad and Luke Browning (who had finished fourth and fifth) both received post-race penalties dropping them to a respective tenth and twelfth. Dunne will start tomorrow's Feature Race from P9. F2 Championship Positions: 1. L. Fornaroli 127 points. 2. R. Verschoor 125 points. 3. J. Crawford 122 points. 4. A. Dunne 122 points. 5. L. Browning 113 points. 6. A. Marti 96 points.