Northern Ireland senior women’s team manager Michael McArdle has revealed his squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Turkiye and Switzerland.
McArdle has chosen a 23-player panel for the two games which will determine where Northern Ireland finish in League B Group 2 in stage one of the European qualifiers for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.
The girls in green and white currently sit third in the table on six points from four games. The Swiss lead the way with 10 points from four qualifiers, while Turkiye have seven points. Malta prop up the B2 table with zero points so far.
First up for Michael McArdle’s team next month is a qualifier away to Turkiye next Friday (5 June). That game (6pm kick-off BST) is due to be played at the Pendik Stadyumu in Istanbul.
Then it’s back to Mourneview Park in Lurgan for a match against B2 leaders Switzerland on Tuesday 9 June (6pm start).
McArdle has made five changes from the squad originally chosen to face Malta home and away last month.
Sunderland Women defender Emily Cassap, who can also operate in midfield, is the one newcomer in the squad.
The 19-year-old, who has been with Sunderland since the age of nine, spent time on loan with Middlesbrough Women last season.
Cassap has previously played for Northern Ireland at U19 level, and she also represented England at youth level.
Cliftonville Ladies defender Fi Morgan is back in the fold after a lengthy absence. Morgan, who has also played for Northern Ireland at U17 and U19 level, has not been involved in the senior squad since the summer of 2023.
The 22-year-old earned her one senior cap to date in a 3-0 friendly defeat to Scotland in Dundee in July 2023. She was also an unused sub v Scotland in June 2021, against Italy in November 2022 and against Czech Republic in July 2023. It will be the fourth time she has been in the senior squad.
Morgan’s Cliftonville team-mate Maddy Harvey-Clifford is another returnee. She last featured in the squad back in October. The goalkeeper’s last cap came in a 1-1 UEFA Women’s Nations League draw with Montenegro at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in February 2024. She has earned four caps to date.
And Glentoran Women midfielder Mia Moore is back, too, who is back from injury.
Cliftonville Ladies defender Kelsie Burrows was a late call-up for those games against Malta and she retains her place in the squad. She replaced Glentoran Women attacker Kascie Weir in April.
Missing out this time through injury are Rangers defender Laura Rafferty, Nottingham Forest Women midfielder Caragh Hamilton and Manchester City Women goalkeeper Abbie Smith. Cliftonville midfielder Louise McDaniel and Glentoran’s Kascie Weir are now included in the standby list.
The home encounter against the Swiss will be Northern Ireland’s final group stage game of the qualifying campaign.
Switzerland are strong favourites to win the group, so McArdle’s squad will be aiming to finish in second place ahead of Turkiye. All three countries will face two rounds of play-offs in October and November/December for berths at next year’s World Cup
Tickets for the game against Switzerland in Lurgan on 9 June are available at irishfa.com/tickets.
The Northern Ireland Women squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers is as follows:
Goalkeepers – Jackie Burns (Bristol City Women), Lauren Perry (Montrose Women), Maddy Harvey-Clifford (Cliftonville Ladies).
Defenders - Rebecca Holloway and Rebecca McKenna (both Birmingham City Women), Kelsie Burrows and Fi Morgan (both Cliftonville Ladies), Abi Sweetlove (Linfield Women), Natalie Johnson (Nottingham Forest Women), Ellie Mason (Charlton Women), Emily Cassap (Sunderland Women).
Midfielders - Nadene Caldwell, Aimee Kerr and Mia Moore (all Glentoran Women), Joely Andrews and Keri Halliday (both Hearts Women), Brenna McPartlan (Burnley Women), Megan Bell (Linfield Women), Danielle Maxwell (Cliftonville Ladies).
Forwards - Lauren Wade (Hearts Women), Casey Howe (Nottingham Forest Women), Leyla McFarland (Durham Women), Cora Chambers (Linfield Women).
