How the new UEFA Women's Nations League impacts Ireland's Euro 2025 hopes

The fallout from the end of the Vera Pauw era continues to cast a long shadow but, on the pitch at least, Saturday will mark a fresh start for the Girls in Green when they take on Northern Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland squad, led by interim manager Eileen Gleeson, will make history by playing at the Aviva Stadium for the first time.

It is also a new departure for UEFA. The match (live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ 2fm) forms part of the first round of fixtures of the inaugural Women's Nations League.

The men's version of the competition is now three editions old and after initial scepticism, has eventually gained favour. Friendlies have been replaced by competitive fixtures against teams of equivalent quality, along with the carrot and stick of promotion and relegation.

The aim is the same for the Women's Nations League, with Europe's 16 highest ranked sides split into four groups of four in the top tier League A (where the two finalists will qualify for next year's Olympic Games).

Ireland missed out on inclusion in that top division by a single ranking position but will be among the strongest sides on paper in the 16-team League B.

They will be hopeful of getting promoted at the first attempt from a Group B1 that also features Hungary and Albania in a four-team round-robin format that will be played out across the next three months.

But beyond targeting promotion, similarly to the men's equivalent, the Nations League will have some bearing on qualification for the next major tournament which will be the 2025 European Championships in Switzerland.

There is a significant difference however. The men's Nations League effect is primarily felt at the play-off stage rather than the group qualification phase.

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