Round-up: women's play-off, Under-21 qualifiers and a busy autumn for the youth sides

While the senior men were collecting eight points from their first four Nations League games, Northern Ireland's other international sides had a hectic few weeks. Here's where things stand.

Senior women: Portugal end the World Cup run

Northern Ireland met Portugal in the first round of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 European play-offs. The first leg at Inver Park in Larne finished 0–4, and although the second leg in Portimão was more competitive, Portugal won it 3–1 to go through 7–1 on aggregate. Attention now turns to the next Women's Nations League campaign.

Under-21s: five points from three

• Malta 0–4 Northern Ireland (Ta' Qali) — an emphatic away win to open the window.
• Northern Ireland 1–1 Georgia (Ballymena Showgrounds).
• Northern Ireland 0–1 Greece (Mourneview Park, Lurgan) — a narrow defeat against one of the group's strongest sides.

Youth sides

• Under-19s drew 0–0 with Wales after a 2–1 defeat to Belgium in friendlies in Marbella. Their EURO qualifiers in North Macedonia — against the hosts, Malta and Switzerland — come in mid-November.
• Under-17s beat Switzerland 2–1 at a training camp in Spain, after defeats to Sweden and Wales. Their EURO qualifiers in Germany, against Lithuania, Azerbaijan and the hosts, are also in November.
• Women's Under-17s faced tough opposition in Norway, losing to Norway, Austria and Italy in League A of their EURO qualifiers.
• Under-16s beat Estonia 5–0 and drew 2–2 with Finland at a tri-nations tournament at Donard Park in Newcastle, while the Women's Under-16s played Wales twice at Greenisland, losing 2–0 and drawing 2–2.
• Under-15s head to Baku for the first FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival, and the Women's Under-15s play a UEFA development tournament in Tirana.

All fixtures and results are on the Fixtures & Results page.