October 27, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL)
Vancouver FC News Release
Langley, BC – Vancouver FC midfielder Grady McDonnell has earned his fifth call up for the Republic of Ireland’s youth teams in 2024, this time with the U-17 squad for Round 1 Qualifiers of the 2024/25 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
McDonnell, 16, will join the Republic of Ireland’s U-17 team in Belfast, Northern Ireland to compete in Group 8 for the first round of qualification for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship. The Boys in Green are set to face Lithuania on Tuesday, Oct. 29, hosts Northern Ireland on Friday, Nov. 1, and Scotland on Monday, Nov. 4. Republic of Ireland’s matches against Lithuania and Scotland will be hosted at Inver Park in Larne, Country Antrim, and the match against Northern Ireland will be played in the country’s capital of Belfast at Seaview Stadium.
The top two teams in each of the 14 Round 1 groups at the conclusion of the first qualifiers will advance to League A in Round 2 and the bottom two teams will compete in League B. The redraw for Round 2 will be held in December 2024 with the second phase of qualification taking place in the spring of 2025. The 2024/25 UEFA European Under-17 Championship acts as Europe’s qualifying tournament for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be hosted in Qatar next year.
The 2024/25 edition of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship will be McDonnell’s second appearance in the international tournament after previously participating in the first round of qualification for the 2023/24 competition in October 2023, making one start. McDonnell, who is eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland because of his father’s heritage, has since earned four caps for the Boys in Green at the U-17 level including most recently registering one start in two appearances in a pair of international friendlies against Denmark in September 2024.
McDonnell has previously represented the Republic of Ireland at the U-16 and U-15 levels since making his youth international debut in September 2022.
McDonnell signed his first professional contract with Vancouver FC in January 2024 to become the youngest player in Canadian Premier League (CPL) history to sign a standard player contract, beating out fellow VFC teenager Taryck ‘TJ’ Tahid for the record. The native of Surrey, B.C., made his professional debut with the Eagles on May 3, 2024 and proceeded to earn three starts in 17 appearances during the 2024 CPL season. McDonnell also…
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