Photo of the Day - football skill all ways to Galway
Post tournament boost awaits
Ireland to face familiar foes in bid to secure a summer in Brazil
What we’re watching - LOI in world focus
Five2Follow - today’s developing stories
18 June 2026; Nicolas Chateau of Galway United with local school children during an open media and public training session at Pearse Stadium, Galway, ahead of the club’s opening SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division fixture at the GAA venue, which is serving as Galway United’s temporary home ground while pitch renovation works are carried out at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
The rising tide inspired by Pico Lopes and Joseph Anang will only improve League of Ireland football
Cathal Dervan, Editor
There’s nothing new about World Cup heroes playing in the League of Ireland and adding crowds to the gate at the likes of Cork Celtic, Waterford, Cork United and St Patrick’s Athletic. And that’s just the clubs where World Cup winners from 1966 were paid to play.
A decade after the famous Wembley win over Germany, Geoff Hurst scored on his debut for Cork’s Celtic as they beat Shamrock Rovers 3-1 in the FAI Cup. That same year Bobby Charlton wore the Waterford jersey while a year later Gordon Banks signed for St Pats, four years before ‘66 squad member Ian Callaghan signed for Cork United.
All four didn’t stay long and they aren’t the only ones with World Cup histories to feature in the Greatest League In The World. Paul McGrath, Steve Staunton, David Kelly, Felix Healy and Peter McPartland all played in the LOI before or after their World Cup involvements.
19 April 1997; Derry City manager Felix Healy celebrates winning the league title. Brandywell, Derry. Soccer. Picture credit; David Maher / SPORTSFILE
So did Uwe Seeler, Bobby Collins, Jimmy Johnstone, Peter Lorimer, Trevor Brooking and Terry McDermott who all came and went and picked up a few bob or two for their troubles along the way.
This World Cup is different though. Never before has a player been active in the League of Ireland at the time of his appearance at the greatest tournament of them all. Never before has a player who has spent his entire playing career in the League started a World Cup game on the pitch.
Never before has a player gone from Shamrock Rovers or St Patrick’s Athletic to a World Cup finals as Pico Lopes and Joseph Anang have done this month.
Hoops defender Lopes started and starred for Cape Verde against Spain on Monday night. Saints ‘keeper Anang was on the bench for Ghana’s 1-0 win over Panama in the early hours of Wednesday and may now be second choice stopper after an injury to starter Lawrence Zigi.
Tonight both players will be watching LOI TV from America as Shamrock Rovers go to Waterford and Pats entertain Sligo Rovers. Both will be missed by their teams at the RSC and Richmond Park respectively but you can guarantee their World cup achievements will be discussed before, during and after every Premier Division game in Ireland tonight.
As well they should. Pico Lopes won’t just be representing Cape Verde against Uruguay late on Sunday night. Joseph Anang won’t just fly the flag for Ghana when they take on England on Tuesday evening.
They will, personally and collectively, represent their clubs and their workplace in front of millions of TV viewers this week, all the time selling the League of Ireland and not just to prospective fans.
Yes, the sight of Pico stopping Spain in their tracks on RTE television will inspire future generations of Irish footballers. To see one of their own tackle the World Cup stage with such grace and confidence will prove to young players that Ireland’s national league can offer a route to international football from within.
For Joseph Anang to sit on the bench for Ghana and be prepared to face the likes of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham if called upon will prove to young goalkeepers that a LOI club can offer access to the highest levels of professional football.
The achievements of this pair will also send a message to young professional players abroad that a move to the LOI, on loan or permanently, is something to take seriously now, something that can enhance and develop your career.
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Young players with big clubs abroad and their coaches will see now that they can benefit from playing regular men’s football in our League. An influx of young players looking to follow the Lopes and Anang pathway to the top via Irish football can only improve the game here.
A rising tide brings every boat to the top, as the old saying goes. Pico Lopes and Joseph Anang are powering World Cup storms and rising tides as we speak - they should be celebrated at every League of Ireland ground tonight and given a heroes welcome whenever they return next month.
This pair have put Irish football on the map - again.
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Another World Cup finals appearance looks well within reach for Carla Ward’s Girls In Green
Cara Conboy, Guest Columnist
There will be mixed feelings from both the Ireland camp and their fans alike following a FIFA World Cup Qualifying Play-Off draw that has thrown up Kazakhstan, Belgium and Poland for Carla Ward’s side.
While there would have been relief at drawing the weakest possible opposition for the semi-final in Kazakhstan, a potential final against familiar opposition in Belgium or Poland will provide a real test for the Girls in Green.
An impressive third-place finish in a very difficult qualifying group provided Ireland with a seeded play-off ahead of the draw on Thursday. This ensured that Ireland would face, on paper, easier opposition in the semi-final.
Going by FIFA rankings, Hungary represented the toughest possible semi-final draw while Kazakhstan, ranked 100th in the world and 79 places below Ireland, were the most favourable opponent available.
Given the gap in rankings and Ireland’s impressive recent form, they will be strong favourites to progress to the final. However, logistics may cause unwanted issues, as over 5000km and an eight-hour direct flight separates Dublin from Astana, venue for the first leg while a five-hour time difference will challenge Ireland’s ability to adapt.
Led by former captain Begaim Kirgizbaeva, Kazakhstan are an unknown quantity for the Girls in Green. The two sides have never met before and the majority of their players ply their trade in the Kazakhstan Women’s Football Championship, meaning they are relatively unknown outside of their home country.
Kazakhstan secured a play-off spot due to their second-place finish in a League C group consisting of Belarus and Armenia. They recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat in the process, an improvement on their previous World Cup qualifying campaign that saw them lose every match and concede 34 goals.
Scoring five goals across their four qualification matches, Kazakhstan don’t appear to have one lone goal threat, instead sharing the goals across the squad.
Kazakhstan are aiming to qualify for their first major tournament since the 1999 AFC Women’s Championship, prior to their move from the AFC to UEFA.
If Ireland are successful over the two legs against Kazakhstan, they will progress to the two-legged play-off final against the winner of the semi-final between Belgium and Poland.
Belgium will be favourites for the tie, going unbeaten in their qualifying group and scoring an impressive 22 goals across the campaign.
That being said, Poland shouldn’t be underestimated. Barcelona star Ewa Pajor is a threat to even the top defences in Europe, this being highlighted with her two goals in the UWCL final against an extremely strong Lyon side.
The play-off final legs will take place in the final week of November and the first week of December, with Ireland once again away in the first leg. Both opponents are extremely familiar to the Girls in Green. Poland finished fourth in Ireland’s qualifying group, with Ireland winning both meetings between the sides on their way to a third-place finish.
Meanwhile, Ireland were victorious over Belgium in last year’s Nations League play-off, overcoming the Red Flames 5-4 on aggregate.
For Poland, much of the attacking threat comes through Barcelona Pajor. Belgium also boast a lethal forward in their captain and Inter Milan star Tessa Wullaert.
The 31-year-old is no stranger to finding the back of the net for her country, amassing a monumental 105 goals throughout her international career, three of which were against Ireland in the previously mentioned Nations League play-off.
Both sides would provide a tough test but Ireland may quietly prefer a meeting with Poland. Ward’s side won both encounters during qualifying and will draw confidence from those performances, while Belgium’s attacking quality makes them a particularly dangerous prospect.
That being said, the Girls in Green will fear nobody in this play-off campaign after a narrow 1-0 loss against France in Grenoble denied them a historic automatic qualification.
Under Ward, the squad has gone from strength to strength throughout the qualifiers. A last-gasp 3-2 victory over the Netherlands showed that they can go toe-to-toe with the world’s strongest teams.
Perhaps the biggest decision to be made surrounding the play-offs will be the choice of where Ireland will call home for the semi-final, and if they are successful, the final.
Tallaght Stadium has been the primary venue in recent years. The Aviva Stadium is also on the cards, especially for the final. But you couldn’t blame Ward and her players for wanting to return to the ever-fruitful Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork for either of the ties.
Ideally, one game would be played in Dublin, and the other in Cork, something that would be the ‘ultimate dream’ according to Ward.
The venue for the second leg of the Kazakhstan tie must be confirmed by the FAI by next Friday, June 26th, while the venue for the final does not have to be decided until October.
Ireland’s route to Brazil could hardly present a greater contrast. First comes a long trip into the unknown against Kazakhstan, before a final battle against opposition they know all too well.
With home advantage in both decisive second legs and confidence growing under Carla Ward, the Girls in Green will believe another World Cup appearance is within reach.
Darryl Geraghty and Cathal Dervan reflect on the League of Ireland’s impact at the World Cup, look forward to this weekend’s fixtures in the Premier Division, chat about the return to action for the Women’s Premier Division and discuss hydration breaks!
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The key stories developing today
Ireland manager Carla Ward got the trip to Kazakhstan and the tie she doesn’t want in the semi-finals of the World Cup play-offs in October - but a return to Cork is on the cards for a winner takes all clash with recent foes Belgium or Poland.
A place at next year’s finals in Brazil is at stake when Ireland go to Kazakhstan for the first left of the semi-finals against the side ranked 100th in the world.
Belgium or Poland will meet in the other semi-final - Ireland beat Poland home and away in the Nations League recently and defeated Belgium 5-4 on aggregate in the NL play-offs last year.
RTE Sport reports on Ward’s reaction to the draw when she said: “When you want to get to Brazil it’s going to be a difficult route and I think there’s a couple of bits in both rounds that will naturally cause us some difficulties.
“We’ve been in tremendous form and confidence is high. We have to keep believing that we can get there, and we’ll do everything we can to do that.
“I think everybody in the room would probably say that it was the one that everyone wanted to avoid, Belgium and Poland are top sides.
“First of all we’ve got to get past Kazakhstan, it’s not easy, it’s a logistical nightmare. Kazakhstan, Poland and Belgium are all going to be difficult. So look, we’ll do everything we can to get over that first hurdle and then obviously try and navigate that final round if and when we get there.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice about Cork. I absolutely love it down there and I think the players do too. It’s not been confirmed where we’ll play, but we would love to have one in Dublin and one in Cork. I think that would be the ultimate dream. We’ll have to wait and see and let the powers that be look after that side of it.”
Ireland’s Nations League clash with Israel has hit the headlines again after the Palestine Football Association distanced itself from the FAI statement confirming that the ‘home’ game will now be played at a neutral venue.
The FAI had quoted support from the PLA when they made their original announcement but a new statement has confirmed the PLA’s objections to any Israeli involvement in sport.
The Irish Sun reports that a PFA spokesperson said: “The PFA has not issued any statement endorsing, approving, or supporting the decision to proceed with the match. Any interpretation suggesting that the PFA has given its blessing to the fixture does not accurately reflect our position.
“The PFA also wishes to reiterate its deep appreciation for the historic solidarity shown by the Irish people and for the principled positions repeatedly expressed by the Football Association of Ireland, Irish clubs, supporters, players, trade unions, civil society organisations, and public representatives in the support of Palestinian rights and human dignity.
“At the same time, our position regarding Israeli football remains unchanged and unequivocal. Palestinian football is enduring one of the darkest periods in its history.
“For this reason, the PFA rejects any characterisation that could be interpreted as providing political or moral cover for Israel’s continued participation in international football while these grave violations persist.
“The PFA would not, and will not, be party to any effort that normalises these realities or contributes to the sportwashing of crimes committed against the Palestinian people.”
The Board of the FAI is now expected to call an EGM to discuss the decision to move the Israel game to a neutral venue after rejecting a call for such a meeting because not enough delegates had formally put their names to the request.
The request was made by 14 parties but the FAI has confirmed in a letter to AGM members that two of those were not from FAI members and thus the call for an EGM was invalid.
The Irish Independent reports that the FAI told members: “Only letters from members of the FAI can be counted for the purposes of the constitutional requisition threshold.
“Accordingly, the requisition received on or around 29 May 2026 is invalid and does not require the board to convene an extraordinary general meeting.
“The board is considering how best to facilitate appropriate discussion of the issues raised, including the possibility of the board itself convening an extraordinary general meeting of the general assembly.”
Celtic will have to wait to commence their defence of the Scottish Premiership title defence due to a combination of the Commonwealth Games and two Calvin Harris concerts - and the BBC reports that club officials are not best pleased.
Derek McInnes will start his new life as Rangers boss on Friday July 31st at Dundee United but Celtic won’t play Dundee until the Monday evening.
“We feel strongly a weekend timing should have been facilitated in the interests of both teams, both sets of supporters and the status of the fixture,” said a statement from Celtic who will play Rangers for the first time next season on September 20th.
Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds wants to sign on-loan midfielder Harry Vaughan on a permanent deal when his Hull City contract expires at the end of the month.
The Irish Mirror reports that Reynolds wants the deal wrapped up before the Europa Conference League game against St Joseph’s of Gibraltar next month.
Reynolds said: “There’s talks going on at the minute. He’s enjoying it, obviously looking at the European football and so on. So, we should know more in the next... Look, he’s out of contract so, the ball’s in his court, really, isn’t it? We’d like to keep him.”
