THE play-off phase is likely for both Irish women's senior soccer sides after the draw for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil - and they could meet at that stage of qualification.
The Republic of Ireland understandably face tougher opposition as one of the top 16 teams in four League A sections - but even with that proviso they've had little luck.
Head coach Carla Ward's players must take on the teams currently ranked fifth and sixth best in Europe, France and the Netherlands, who have world rankings of 6 and 11 respectively.
Poland, who beat Northern Ireland 4-0 and 2-0 in Nations League meetings earlier this year, are the fourth team in that group, of which only the winners will qualify automatically for the finals tournament.
The Poles earned promotion and are currently just one place above the Girls in Green in the world rankings, 26 compared to 27.
However, the Republic of Ireland women did win their way back into League A as well by beating Belgium 5-4 on aggregate in the recent play-off.
They also beat France 3-1 in Cork in Euro 2025 qualifying and only lost 1-0 away to the French in Metz in that group.
NI are in League B, where they have been drawn in a group alongside Switzerland, Turkiye, and Malta. Tanya Oxtoby's team are effectively the second seeds, with a world ranking of 44, compared to 24 for the Swiss, 58 for the Turks, and 88 for the Maltese.
NI will note that their southern counterparts only had narrow victories, 1-0 and 2-1, against Turkiye in this year's Nations League Group B2.
The northern outfit were well beaten in their promotion play-off, 5-0 on aggregate by Iceland, so remain in the second tier of European women's football.
The top three teams from each League B section in this World Cup qualifying process will go into play-off Round 1's Path 2 (do keep up...) along with the four fourth-placed sides from League A.
Path 1 will consist of the eight second- and third-placed teams from League A and eight teams from League C.
The 16 winners of those round 1 matches will then meet in round 2: the seven winners of those games with the best overall league phase final rankings will qualify automatically for the tournament in Brazil. The eighth winner will head into the inter-continental play-offs.
Matches will take place between February and June next year.
Back-to-back European title-holders England will again face world champions Spain with Iceland and Ukraine making up that group in League A.
England lost the last World Cup Final to the Spanish, in Sydney, Australia, and were also paired with Spain in the Nations League earlier this year, winning at Wembley but losing in Barcelona.
Sarina Wiegman's side then won the Euro 2025 Final against Spain on penalties.
In League B, Wales will face Czechia, Albania, and Montenegro, while Scotland will take on Belgium, Luxembourg, and Israel.