Ireland's women prepare for the upcoming World Cup without their standout goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, who has been sidelined due to injury.

McFerran's accolades include being named Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the 2018 World Cup, where Ireland clinched a silver medal. Head coach Gareth Grundie has assembled a 20-player squad for the tournament in Wavre, Belgium. In McFerran's absence, Lizzy Murphy and Holly Micklem will have the opportunity to make their debuts on this prestigious stage.

This marks Ireland's third consecutive World Cup appearance, following a successful qualification campaign that saw them defeat Japan in a shootout for the bronze medal in Santiago.

Currently ranked 12th in the world, Ireland is placed in Pool C and will kick off their tournament against Spain on 16 August, followed by matches against New Zealand on 18 August and Belgium on 20 August. Aiming for a top-two finish in their pool, they hope to advance to Pool E for a chance at the semi-finals. A third or fourth place would lead them to Pool H for classification matches.

In parallel, the men's coach Mark Tumilty announced a 20-strong squad for their first World Cup since 2018, maintaining the same lineup that secured qualification in Santiago. The men's team, ranked 10th globally, will also compete in Pool C, beginning with a match against Australia on 16 August, followed by encounters with South Africa and Spain on 18 and 20 August, respectively. Similar to the women, a top-two finish would propel them into Pool E for the semi-finals, while a lower finish would result in classification matches in Pool H.