Important to get early points on board - Caldwell

"For us it's important to try and get some points on the board early so that the team can kick on in confidence and really kick on the campaign. It's a crammed fixture list but we must try to build up a bit of momentum."

"The main thing for us is that we're getting competitive games and you can measure yourself against the best players in the world. That can only make you better as a player. Take the positives from one game and move onto the next, and hopefully we can go on a good run."

"Switzerland, top seeds away from home...a difficult fixture but I would say the pressure is all on them. They're top seeds and we know we're going to have to absorb a lot of pressure at times."

Northern Ireland's women's football team begins their 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign with matches against Switzerland on Tuesday and Turkey on Saturday. Midfielder Nadene Caldwell emphasizes the importance of gaining early points to build confidence and momentum throughout the group stage. The squad faces a challenging group including Malta in April and additional fixtures against Turkey and Switzerland. Interim manager Kris Lindsay leads the team while a permanent successor to Tanya Oxtoby is sought. Caldwell views the tough opening against top-seeded Switzerland as an opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition, noting that competitive matches improve player development. Northern Ireland, positioned as second seeds, aims to finish second in their group.

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