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Dundalk FC WDL Team Set For Season Kick-Off
- Dundalk FC
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
A new chapter begins for women’s football at Dundalk FC this weekend, as the club takes to the pitch in the newly established Women’s Development League.
The new league has been endorsed by UEFA as part of their Women’s League Development Fund and sees Dundalk among nine clubs from the LOI Academy Development programme given the opportunity to field a senior women’s team for the very first time.
The nine clubs entering the Women's Development League as senior sides are Bray Wanderers, CK United, Cobh Ramblers, Drogheda United, Dundalk, Finn Harps, Kerry, Longford Town, and St. Patrick's Athletic. They will be joined by Under-23 sides from the 12 existing SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division clubs, creating a competitive and meaningful league environment for developing players across the country.
The Women’s Development League replaces the current Women’s U19 League. The league will help to strengthen the player pathway by providing more opportunities for players to compete at senior level and enable the players to continue to play at a national level beyond the age of 19.
Speaking about the launch, Dundalk FC Women's Development League Manager Phil Cox said:
"It is exciting times for everyone involved in the female side of the game.
"The WDL league is the next step in what has been a long journey for the club that started a number of years ago with Bernard Freeman at grassroots level, and now we take the first steps at senior level in League of Ireland"
"We are a young side by design as a result of the strategy we put in place at the beginning of 2025 season, and we have continued to follow this approach despite not having the age restrictions in place.
We understand this may lead to some learning days but we as a group are not afraid of hard work, and together we feel this strategy is the best path to achieve sustained success in the future.
This club has the best supporters in the country, and I hope they will really get behind the team this season as we look to establish ourselves at senior level."
Cox also paid tribute to the hard work behind the scenes at Oriel Park.
"We would like to take the opportunity to thank Chris Clinton, the Management Board, the Supporters Trust, and all the volunteers involved in the upgrading of the pitch, lights and general facilities.
"It is a privilege to have such a high standard of resources available to us and this will no doubt strengthen what we feel is a strong coaching and playing academy over the next number of years."
The opening game of the WDL season takes place at Oriel Park, when Dundalk take on Sligo Rovers on Sunday 22nd February at 4pm.
