Spice Boys to face Ireland in historic international friendly

2026-03-23 - 21:04

ST GEORGE’S – Grenada’s national football team is set to take on the Republic of Ireland in an international friendly for the first time in its history. The historic match is scheduled for May 16 at the Enrique Roca Stadium in Murcia, Spain. Grenada, who are currently ranked 164th in the FIFA rankings, will be underdogs against the 59th ranked Ireland, who has qualified for the FIFA World Cup on three occasions (1990, 1994, 2002), and remain in pursuit of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through UEFA’s pathway. The fixture represents another significant step in Grenada’s growing international football journey and comes on the heels of the nation’s recent selection to compete in the 2026 FIFA Series. According to the Grenada Football Association (GFA), the match is part of a wider strategic push to secure meaningful international opportunities to expose their players to high-level opposition and broaden the country’s football footprint beyond the Caribbean. President of the GFA, Marlon Glean welcomed the announcement as a valuable opportunity for the continued advancement of Grenadian football. “This fixture against the Republic of Ireland is another important signal of Grenada’s growing relevance within the international football landscape. “For our senior men’s national team, it is an opportunity to compete against strong European opposition, continue building experience at a higher level, and further our development as a programme,” Glean said. It also reflects the Grenada Football Association’s ongoing commitment to creating global opportunities for our players while using football as a platform to strengthen visibility for Grenada and deepen international relationships beyond the region.” Republic of Ireland head coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson also highlighted the importance of the fixture within their preparations. “We’re delighted to have this training camp and fixture officially confirmed. It will be a fantastic week of work in a high-quality environment and provides a valuable opportunity for players to train, compete, and make a strong impression as we continue to build depth within the squad,” he said. CMC