Ireland's Euro opponents - who are they?
Stamp this as a bona fide group of death.
To be pooled with one of the world’s top five is daunting enough but Ireland have three of those to navigate in the top tier of European qualifiers kicking off in April.
The fixture list will be confirmed on Wednesday morning but given the calibre of France, England and Sweden, all three would draw crowds to Lansdowne Road if the FAI can avoid clashes with existing fixtures with their co-residents from the rugby.
Here, we look at the three nations Ireland earned the right to compete with by earning promotion from winning their Nations League B last Autumn.
FRANCE:
FIFA ranking: 3.
Managed by former Saudi boss Herve Renard, the French are the great underachievers of the women’s global game, failing to live up to their promise by winning either the World Cup or Euros.
Quarter-finalists at last year’s World Cup, losing to co-hosts Australia on penalties, they were unbeaten in their next seven games, winning six, until Spain beat them in the recent Nations League.
Lyon, who won the Champions League six of the seven years before the last one, supply the spine of the team, including a strikeforce of Kadidiatou Diani and Delphine Cascarino.
ENGLAND:
FIFA ranking: 4.
Reigning European champions and World Cup runners-up, Sarina Wiegman’s side are laced with talent throughout, from BBC Personality of the Year Mary Earps, through Keira Walsh in midfield to Beth Mead and Lauren Hemp in attack.
They were surprisingly demoted to the second pot following a disappointing Nations League campaign but will still be favourites to qualify directly for Switzerland.
SWEDEN:
FIFA ranking: 5.
Familiar to Ireland for winning the group which from they grabbed runners-up to eventually
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