Ireland sweep past Kazakhstan to set up Poland decider for World Cup place

The Republic of Ireland are two wins away from the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.

Carla Ward's side finished the job against Kazakhstan in Cork, winning the second leg 4-0. They had already won the first leg 8-0 in Astana, which left the tie all but settled before a ball was kicked at home FAI.

Captain Katie McCabe was among the scorers in Cork. She was back in the starting team after missing the first leg in Astana through a one-game suspension, and she wasted no time making her presence felt BBC Sport.

It is a play-off, a straight knockout tie where the winners go through and the losers go out. Ireland have come through the first round. Two more games stand between them and Brazil.

Poland are next. They reached the final play-off after a wild tie with Belgium, drawing 3-3 over two legs and then winning on penalties.

Ireland will not fear that draw. They beat Poland twice in qualifying in April, including a 3-2 win in Gdańsk where Emily Murphy, McCabe and Marissa Sheva scored FAI. The return game in Dublin ended 1-0 to Ireland.

McCabe knows those results count for little now. "Two games and we're going to Brazil, but full focus over the next six weeks," she told RTE Sport. She said Ireland need to "lock in and be ready" for Poland.

That focus fits Ward's story so far. She took charge in early 2025. Her second game ended in a 4-0 home defeat by Slovenia in February 2025. Since then Ireland have steadied, earning promotion to League A of the Nations League after beating Belgium in a promotion-relegation play-off.

Ireland are chasing a second World Cup appearance. They qualified for the first time for Australia in 2023. Getting to back-to-back tournaments would be new ground.

For fans, this means a proper cup final feeling stretched over two legs. Home and away, everything on the line, Brazil waiting at the end of it.

McCabe arrives in form and in a fresh place. She joined Chelsea in the summer after her Arsenal contract ended, a switch she described as a "breath of fresh air". Ireland will need that energy against Poland. The job against Kazakhstan is done. The harder part starts now.