Shanade Hopcroft Secures Her First Call-Up for Ireland Women

The Ireland Women squad for the World Cup Qualifying Round 1 Play-Off against Kazakhstan includes Shanade Hopcroft for the first time.

The two-legged tie kicks off in Astana on Friday, 9 October, before heading to Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork for the second leg on Tuesday, 13 October. Both games are live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

The winners of the tie will advance to Round 2 to take on either Belgium or Poland to secure a place at the World Cup in Brazil.

Captain Katie McCabe and midfielder Marissa Sheva are both suspended for the first leg, Denise O’Sullivan will not travel with the squad to Astana, while Tara O’Hanlon (hamstring) and Saoirse Noonan (ankle) are unavailable.

Leicester City defender Heather Payne returns for the first time since the UEFA Nations League Promotion / Relegation Play-Off against Belgium in October 2025.

There is a first call-up for Crystal Palace midfielder Shanade Hopcroft, who qualifies through her Grandmother.

Ireland have played Kazakhstan twice previously at senior women’s level, winning both FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers in 2009 with a scoreline of 2-1.

Ireland Squad

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Southampton), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic)

Defenders: Aoife Mannion (Newcastle United), Heather Payne (Leicester City), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jessie Stapleton (Leicester City), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Chloe Mustaki (Nottingham Forest), Katie McCabe (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Denise O’Sullivan (Gotham FC), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Aoibheann Clancy (Watford), Jamie Finn (Burnley), Lucy Quinn (Sheffield United), Tyler Toland (Burnley), Jess Ziu (Leicester City), Shanade Hopcroft (Crystal Palace)

Forwards: Kyra Carusa (HB Køge), Amber Barrett (Strasbourg), Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace), Emily Murphy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Leanne Kiernan (Newcastle United).

Source: fai.ie