West Ham United women’s team duo Jessie Stapleton and Jess Ziu have been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their UEFA Women’s Nations League play-off fixtures against Belgium during the October international break.
This is Ziu's first call-up to an international squad since July 2024 after she recently recovered from her second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, which she sustained in August last year.
The 23-year-old, who is currently on loan at Barclays Women's Super League 2 side Bristol City, last represented her country in a 3-1 victory over France on 16 July 2024, and made her return to the pitch in a pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic in August this year.
Meanwhile, after a successful spell at Sunderland last term, 20-year-old Stapleton is currently on loan at WSL 2 side Nottingham Forest, and she scored her first goal for the Tricky Trees against Portsmouth at the City Ground in October.
In June, Stapleton was named the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) Young Women’s International Player of the Year after a standout 2024/25 campaign before she was rewarded with a new contract with the Hammers in July.
The pair will hope to help the Republic of Ireland - who secured a second-place finish in Group B2 - to victory in their promotion/relegation play-off against Amber Tysiak’s Red Flames, who finished third in Group A3.
The first leg, on Friday 24 October at 7pm BST, will be a special game for both Dublin-born Stapleton and Ziu, as it presents them with the opportunity to play at the Aviva Stadium.
The return fixture at 7.30pm GMT on Tuesday 28 October will take place at King Power at Den Dreef Stadion, in Leuven, where the aggregate winners of the tie will earn their League A status.
