England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry

The England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry is a rivalry between England and Republic of Ireland football teams. The first ever match was played on 30 September 1946 at Dalymount Park, Dublin. England won the match 1–0. On 21 September 1949, Republic of Ireland won the second match 2–0 which was played at Goodison Park, Liverpool and became the first non-British team to defeat England on their home soil.

Since then there have a been a total of 16 matches between both the teams with England winning six, Republic of Ireland winning two, and eight games ending in a draw.

The teams were drawn together in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, where they will face each other home and away in their first competitive fixtures for 33 years.

History
England and Ireland has a long-standing rivalry, stretching back to Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, when settlers started to control Irish affairs, British colonising the Irish Island and displacing the locals and with the Plantation of Ulster, the Catholic (local) majority was under the control of the Protestant minority settlers. After the Irish War of Independence, the British divided Ireland into two self-governing polities; which later became Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The split caused animosity between England and the Republic of Ireland which can be often seen when the countries meet in any sporting events.

Within football, England and Ireland began playing against one another regularly from the early 1880s, but this was the Ireland team organised by the Irish Football Association based in Belfast which favoured Ulster Protestant players; as participants in the British Home Championship, their relationship with England was fraternal. That Ireland team eventually evolved into the current Northern Ireland national football team, whereas the Republic of Ireland national football team formed in 1921 by the Football Association of Ireland in Dublin had no such sporting familiarity with England (although it was always the case that the majority of the best Irish players were based there) and clear differences in cultural and political leanings amongst their supporters.

The rivalry is further intensified when Irish-born players or players of Irish descent switch allegiances to England, with Declan Rice and Jack Grealish being the latest examples, as both represented Republic of Ireland from U16 to U21 levels, then switched to England at senior level. Rice made three appearances for the Republic of Ireland before joining England.