Galway United’s Julie-Ann Russell is the sole League of Ireland (LOI) representative in the Irish Women’s National Team (WNT) for their Euro 2025 qualifier against Wales
Tomorrow night marks a historic opportunity for the WNT as they can secure the first-ever European Championship qualification in their 50-year history.
Following their debut in the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year and three consecutive wins against Georgia and France, hopes are high for another milestone achievement.
However, Julie-Ann Russell’s inclusion draws attention to a persistent issue in Irish women’s soccer: The underrepresentation of players from the Irish Women’s National League (WNL) in the national team.
Most national team players come from abroad, primarily England and the US.
Despite recent progress, the WNL struggles to compete with professional leagues abroad. The Limerick Voice caught up with Limerick native and Galway United defender Jenna Slattery to discuss the underrepresentation.
WNL Players Face Challenges for National Selection
Julie-Ann Russell’s selection highlights the challenges for WNL players in making the national team. Her teammate, Slattery, explains: “You kind of do have to be playing abroad to make the team. It is the highest level you can be playing at professionally.”
Despite her impressive form – being top scorer with 10 goals and one of the best defenders in the WNL – she was not called up for the national squad.
Her exclusion reflects a broader trend: Even standout WNL players often struggle to secure national team spots.
Funding Gaps Stall League’s Growth
This underrepresentation of WNL players is partly tied to funding issues. Irish clubs do not have enough money to provide perfect training conditions for their athletes. In 2023, FAI chiefs rejected a €550K funding application to National League clubs.
Introducing Standard Player Contracts and minimum wage regulations for women’s players in 2022 was a big step towards professionalisation, but the league remains far behind professional setups abroad. Before these reforms, high-profile players regularly left the WNL for overseas clubs, with Irish teams receiving no compensation for developing their talent.
While this situation has improved, clubs still struggle to offer competitive financial resources and training conditions.
Slattery acknowledges these disparities but stays optimistic: “There is probably still a gap between the League of Ireland and the Women’s Premier League for example, but I think [the WNL] will grow in a few years once the league starts getting bigger.”
However, like many young Irish talents, Slattery also dreams of playing abroad: “It’s definitely on my mind to go play abroad. I suppose probably England. I’d love to play in the WPL [Women’s Premier League] someday.”
WNL still in the shadow of the National Team
A lack of media coverage compounds the WNL’s challenges. A study by Hersports.ie revealed that just 6% of sports media coverage is dedicated to women’s sports. While attention to women’s football in Ireland has increased significantly after the World Cup qualification, the Women’s National League remains in the shadow of the successful national team.
Media theorist Manuel Castells explains that an event is only as significant as the media coverage that surrounds it. Without adequate coverage, even promising developments in the WNL risk being overlooked. “The media are not the holders of power,” he explained. “But they constitute by and large the space where power is decided. If an event is not widely covered and given prominence, many people will not be aware it is taking place.”
But if there is not enough interest to begin with, some argue, how can the media justify providing coverage in the first place if no one cares? First of all, there is interest. Attendance of League of Ireland matches has risen by about 20% over the last years, according to UEFA’s annual landscape report. Secondly, there have always been incredible female footballers in Ireland, they just decided to go abroad because the WNL cannot provide that professional level.
Breaking the Cycle
This creates a vicious cycle: Limited media coverage restricts funding, which limits club resources, forcing players to move abroad. This further reduces the visibility of the WNL and its ability to attract new investment. The media’s coverage of WNL has improved but remains a work in progress.
Jenna Slattery notes that this increased media attention has had a positive impact: “There’s more attendance at the games. Clubs are getting paid. It’s better for players now because they can train more often, and the more you train, the better player you’re going to be.”
The growing visibility boosts ticket sales and sponsorship deals and helps clubs to invest in better facilities and professional staff.
Government support offers hope
The Irish government decided to double funding for the Women in Sport programme to €4 million for 2025. This investment could provide much-needed support to the WNL on its journey towards professionalism. It might encourage more players to stay in Ireland rather than move abroad to pursue their careers.
The league has already seen significant improvements in training conditions in recent years. Slattery highlights the progress: “You can see it in the way we train and the facilities. Everything seems to be more professional. It has improved a lot in the last years, but there’s still way to go.”
The WNL stands at a crossroads. Continued investment and media attention will be vital to its development. For now, players like Julie-Ann Russell serve as a reminder of the league’s potential – and the work still needed to fulfil it.