The winding road to the top for Northern Ireland’s women’s football team

Julie Diamond looks at the long history of women’s football in Northern Ireland, as the team get ready to play their debut game in their first major international tournament – Euro 2022

Emily Wilson and Emma McMaster of Northern Ireland celebrate victory over Ukraine in April 2021 (Getty)

The trailblazing Northern Ireland women’s football team have made history by qualifying for the Women’s European Championship this summer – their first major international tournament.

Women’s football in Northern Ireland is having a moment. In fact, the women’s game is flourishing everywhere right now: attitudes to women in sport are changing and women’s football is becoming more visible with wider media coverage, increased sponsorship deals, more broadcasting rights and soaring audiences.

My own interest was piqued when I went to see the Northern Ireland women’s team play a World Cup qualifier in Belfast on a cold Tuesday night last September. They won the game, but it wasn’t the scoreboard that got my attention. It was the sheer grit and determination of these footballers on the pitch and the delight on their faces after the match as they waved to the standing and cheering home crowd.