Ireland U19 Women Sing Anthem After Mix-Up in Sweden Loss

In Albena, Bulgaria, the Republic of Ireland's women's under-19 football team faced an unexpected start to their European Championship qualifying campaign on Wednesday when organizers mistakenly played the British national anthem, "God Save the King," instead of Ireland's "Amhrán na bhFiann" ahead of their match against Sweden.

The error occurred as the players from both teams lined up on the pitch for the pre-game ceremony, facing the Irish flag near the dugouts. The opening notes of the wrong anthem echoed through the stadium, prompting immediate shouts and jeers from Irish supporters in the crowd. Match officials quickly halted the music after just a few seconds, leaving a brief period of silence and visible confusion among the players and coaching staff. Undeterred, the Irish team, led by their young players and coaches, then broke into an a cappella rendition of "Amhrán na bhFiann," with fans joining in to complete the anthem without accompaniment.

The incident highlighted a technical glitch in the stadium's public address system, though officials did not provide further details on the cause. Ireland's head coach, Dave Connell, and his players maintained composure, turning...