Ireland first appeared at the FIFA World Cup finals in Italy 1990. They have appeared in three World Cups: 1990, 1994 and 2002. Their performance in 1990 was also their best in a major championship, where they reached the quarter-finals. They also made the last 16 at the 1994 World Cup.

The Irish team missed out on qualifying in 2018. They last appeared in the finals in 2002.

With the expanded 2026 World Cup featuring 48 teams, Ireland has renewed hopes of returning to the finals for the first time in over two decades. Irish fans eager to back their team's qualification journey can find competitive odds through the best Irish bookmakers.

Trivia

  • The first player to have scored four goals in a qualifier was Ireland's Paddy Moore who scored 4 goals in their 4:4 draw with Belgium on 25 Feb 1934 in Dublin.
  • At USA '94, Ireland overcame a tough draw to make the round 16 after beating Italy.
  • Ireland qualified for the women's FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2023.