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Friday, April 3, 2026

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McArdle names first Northern Ireland squad  

New Northern Ireland senior women’s team manager Michael McArdle has named his first squad.

McArdle has chosen a 23-player panel for home and away FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifiers against Malta this month. His squad shows just two changes from interim boss Kris Lindsay’s panel that faced Switzerland and Turkey in World Cup qualifiers last month.

The new manager, who was appointed following those two games, will be aiming to get the team’s World Cup qualification campaign back on track following defeats to both the Swiss and the Turks.

The first instalment of the double header against Malta is taking place at Mourneview Park in Lurgan on Tuesday 14 April (7pm). Tickets are available at irishfa.com/tickets. The teams will meet again on Saturday 18 April at the Centenary Stadium in Ta’Qali (6pm BST start).

Hearts Women midfielder Joely Andrews is back in the Northern Ireland squad after missing last month’s World Cup qualifiers through injury. Andrews, who has 33 senior caps, last played for her country in the two UEFA Women’s Nations League play-off games against Iceland back in October.

There’s also one new face in the squad in Linfield Women striker Cora Chambers, who previously played for Northern Ireland at U19 level as well as for a U16 development side.

The 22-year-old attacker joined the Blues from Sion Swifts Ladies in February 2024 and she was second top scorer in the country last season with 20 goals. In total she has scored 39 goals in 47 appearances for Linfield.

Not included this time are experienced defender Sarah McFadden, who drops to the standby list, and teenager Mia Moore, who will instead be part of the Women’s Under-19 squad competing in Euro qualifiers this month.

In League B Group 2, Switzerland and Turkey each have six points after two games, while both Northern Ireland and Malta are still searching for their first points in stage one of the European qualifiers for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.