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Latvia women's national football team

Women's national association football team representing Latvia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Latvia women's national football team (Latvian: Latvijas sieviešu futbola izlase) represents Latvia in international football and is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia. They have never qualified for a major international tournament.

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Latvia, alongside their Baltic rivals, Lithuania and Estonia, also participates in the local sub-regional Women's Baltic Cup, which takes place every year. Latvia has won this tournament five times, the first time in 1997. The next moment of triumph had to wait until 2011. Latvia closed out the 2010s by winning the trophy three years in a row, in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

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History

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In the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), women's football was not a recognized sport – in 1972, the Sports Committee of the USSR even banned women's football competitions. That is why women played the first official football matches in Latvia only in 1989, when the first women's team "Latvija" was created. The players were mostly invited from other sports, so the football players had good physical preparation, and several players from Lithuania were also invited to help. In 1990, the team was renamed to RAF Jelgava, participating in the first championship of the highest league of the USSR, where they took eighth place in the competition of 24 teams. RAF played one more season in the top league of the USSR, but another team from Latvia – Ogres "Fortūna" – competed in the first league of the USSR. After the collapse of the USSR, the "RAF" professional team disbanded, and thus women's football in Latvia continued to exist only at the amateur level.[2]

On 18 August 1993, The Latvian women's national team made its debut and played its first international match in the European Championship qualification tournament, losing in the first match away to Sweden, which was already one of the most important women's football countries in the world at the time.[3]

After the first qualifying tournament, Latvia did not participate anymore in European Championship qualifying tournaments until 2006. Changes had already been introduced in the selection system, by holding the previous preliminary tournament for the weakest European national teams before the qualification, which the Latvian national team never managed to overcome, which meant that Latvia did not have the opportunity to meet the best national women's football teams in Europe for a long time.[4]

After participating in the UEFA Women's Euro 1995 qualifying[5] and withdrew from all qualification until the qualification for the European Championships in 2009.

Latvia's record upon its return to international qualification games was poor. Latvia lost their first two games, against Israel and Bosnia and Herzegovina by three goals, before losing by one goal to Armenia.[6] Mini-tournaments after the qualification disaster proved no better for Latvia. Finishing last, in December 2008, Latvia lost 0–3 to Croatia and 0–5 to Turkey.[7]

The first victory

Latvia won its first official match on 5 March 2011 over Lithuania in the qualifying 2013 European Championship preliminary round with a lone goal by Jūlija Sokolova.[8][9] However, Latvia lost the other two games against Luxembourg and Macedonia so the team didn't go through.[citation needed]

First World Cup qualification

In 2013, the Latvian women's national team took part in the World Cup qualification tournament for the first time, in the first round of the preliminaries, they drew 0:0 with Luxembourg in their debut match,[10] but then lost 0–2 to Albania and Malta.[citation needed] After four years, the Latvian women's national team won the first victory in the World Cup selection, defeating Estonia 4–0 in the preliminaries,[citation needed] but it was not enough to enter the basic qualification tournament, as the first place in the group was won by the national team of Kazakhstan, with whom Latvian football players played a draw 2–2.[citation needed]

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Modern times

The Latvian women's football team won its first World Cup qualification victory against Luxembourg.[11] Latvia won its first World Cup qualification victory on 24 June 2022 over Lithuania in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA Group D with a lone goal by Nelle Treimane.[citation needed]

On November 30, 2021, the Latvian national team lost 20–0 to England in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA Group D match. After the game, this game received a huge amount of attention, shining a light on the shortcomings of the qualifiers and European women qualifying system. Several experts emphasized that such a game should not have happened. This game again sparked discussions about going back to pre-qualification.[12]

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Stadium

In October 2023, Latvian Football Federation president Vadims Ļašenko said that Skonto Stadium would become the main home of the men's team, with Daugava Stadium serving as a backup and the venue for the women's and youth national teams.[13] Previously, the women's team has played in various grounds, including Arkādija Stadium and the LNK Sports Park in Riga, Sloka Stadium in Jūrmala, Zemgale Olympic Center in Jelgava and others.

Results and fixtures

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The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

2024

27 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League Play-offs Slovakia  6–0
(9–0 agg.)
 Latvia Trnava, Slovakia
18:00 UTC+2 Report Stadium: Anton Malatinský Stadium
Note: Slovakia won 9–0 on aggregate, and therefore both teams remained in their respective leagues.
5 April Euro 2025 qualifying Latvia  3–4  North Macedonia Riga
Report
Stadium: LNK Sporta Parks
Attendance: 208
Referee: Lovisa Johansson (Sweden)
9 April Euro 2025 qualifying Moldova  0–1  Latvia Chișinău
Report
Stadium: Zimbru Stadium
Referee: Teresa Oliveira (Portugal)
31 May Euro 2025 qualifying Slovenia  6–0  Latvia Murska Sobota
18:00
Report Stadium: Fazanerija City Stadium
Attendance: 549
Referee: Ana Maria Terteleac (Romania)
4 June Euro 2025 qualifying Latvia  0–4  Slovenia Jūrmala
17:00 (18:00 UTC+3) Report
Stadium: Sloka Stadium
Attendance: 224
Referee: Sofiya Prychyna (Ukraine)
16 July Euro 2025 qualifying Latvia  2–1  Moldova Riga
20:00 Report Stadium: Daugava Stadium
Attendance: 603
Referee: Milica Milovanovic
24 October 2024 Women's Baltic Cup Latvia  2–1  Faroe Islands Riga, Latvia
19:00 Miksone 28', 75' Report Ryan 57' Stadium: LNK Sporta Parks
Attendance: 247
Referee: Ugnė Šmitaitė (Lithuania)
27 October 2024 Women's Baltic Cup Latvia  0–1  Estonia Riga, Latvia
18:00 Report Saulus 66' Stadium: LNK Sporta Parks
Attendance: 415
Referee: Jurgita Mačikunytė (Lithuania)

2025

25 February 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League C Kosovo  0-1  Latvia Pristina, Kosovo
15:00 UTC+2 Viktorija Zaičikova 51' Stadium: Fadil Vokrri Stadium
Attendance: 110
Referee: Maïka Vanderstichel (FRA)
4 April 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League C North Macedonia  1-2  Latvia North Macedonia
14:00 UTC+2 Ulza Maksuti 31' Report Karlīna Miksone 2' (81) Stadium: FFM Training Centre
Attendance: 100
Referee: Hanna Laajanen (SWE)
8 April Friendly Estonia  1-1  Latvia Riga
17:00 UTC+2 Vlada Kubassova 14' Report Santa Sanija Vuškāne 69' Stadium: LNK Sporta Parks
Attendance: 93
Referee: Michalina Diakow (POL)
30 May 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League C Latvia  1-1  North Macedonia Riga, Latvia
19:00 UTC+2 Olga Ševcova 65' Report Simona Meijer 16' Stadium: LNK Sporta Parks
Attendance: 387
Referee: Mzevinari Sharashanidze
3 June 2025 UEFA Nations League Latvia  2-2  Kosovo Riga, Latvia
19:00
Report
Stadium: LNK Sporta Parks
Attendance: 401
Referee: Elisabet Calvo Valentín (Spain)
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Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 18 February 2025
More information Role, Name ...

Manager history

  • Latvia Viktors Lūkins (1992–1993)
  • Latvia Vladimirs Serbins (1994–1996)
  • Latvia Grigorijs Rožkovs (1996–1998)
  • Latvia Ģirts Marausks (1999–2002)
  • Latvia Agris Bandolis (2003–2010)[14]
  • Latvia Didzis Matīss (2010–2021)
  • Latvia Romāns Kvačovs (2021–2024)
  • Latvia Liene Vāciete (2025-)
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Players

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Current squad

The following players have been called up for the 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League C in May and June 2025.[15]

Caps and goals are correct as of 16 June 2025.

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Recent call ups

The following players have been called up to the Latvia squad in the past 18 months.

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Records

*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 5 June 2025.

Most Capped Players

As of 16 June 2025
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Top goalscorers

As of 16 June 2025
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Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

More information FIFA Women's World Cup record, Qualification record ...
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Championship

More information UEFA Women's Championship record, Qualifying record ...
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Nations League

More information UEFA Women's Nations League record, Year ...
More information * ...

Women's Baltic Cup

More information Baltic Cup record, Year ...
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See also

Notes

    1. From Euro 2025 onwards a new qualifying format was introduced, linked to the Women's Nations League where teams are divided into leagues with promotion/relegation between the leagues at the end of each cycle.

    References

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