Callum O'Dowda

Bristol City

On 14 July 2016, O'Dowda signed for Football League Championship side Bristol City for an undisclosed fee of around £1.25 million, potentially rising to £1.6 million depending on incentives. He signed on a three-year contract. Upon signing for Bristol City, O'Dowda said that had been a difficult decision to leave his hometown club. O'Dowda scored his first goal for Bristol City against Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup 4th Round on 24 October 2017. 11 days later, O'Dowda scored the opener, his first league goal for Bristol City, in a 2–1 victory against Cardiff City.

Amidst rumoured interest in the player from Leeds United, on 17 January 2019, Bristol activated a clause in O'Dowda's contract to extend it until the end of the 2019/20 season.

In September 2019 he signed a new three-year contract with Bristol City. O'Dowda was released from the club in May 2022 after his contract expired after spending six years at the club.

Cardiff City On 8 June 2022, it was announced O'Dowda would join Championship club Cardiff City on a three-year deal on 1 July.

Ferencváros On 4 July 2025, he signed for Hungarian side Ferencváros, where he would play under former Republic of Ireland teammate Robbie Keane. On 22 July 2025, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 victory over FC Noah in the second qualifying round of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League. On 9 May 2026, he won the 2025–26 Magyar Kupa season with Ferencváros by beating Zalaegerszegi TE 1–0 in the 2026 Magyar Kupa final at Puskás Aréna.

International career In March 2015, O'Dowda was called up by Republic of Ireland U21 after becoming eligible for the national team through his late grandfather, Brendan O'Dowda, a famous Irish tenor who was born in Dundalk and sang the Sean Connery song "Pretty Irish Girl" in the Walt Disney film Darby O'Gill and the Little People. O'Dowda told the club's website "I am very proud and very excited to have the call up. It is a privilege to be included. I was approached a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested because of my family's Irish background. I jumped at the chance and can't wait to be involved."

O'Dowda made his Ireland U21 debut on 26 March 2015, playing 90 minutes, in a 1–0 win over Andorra U21. He scored his first goal for the U21s in a qualifying match for the 2017 U21 European Championships on 28 March 2016, the only Irish goal in a 3–1 defeat to Slovenia.

On 12 May 2016, he received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad. He made his début for Ireland on 31 May, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–1 defeat to Belarus. However, on 31 May 2016, O'Dowda was among few players to be cut from the UEFA Euro 2016 squads.

On 9 October 2016, he made his competitive debut in a World Cup qualifier in Moldova, coming on as a second-half substitute for Shane Long.

O'Dowda scored his first international goal in a 3–2 friendly win against Latvia on 22 March 2023.

Personal life His sister Jade O'Dowda is a track and field athlete who competed in the heptathlon for England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and for Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics. His father is former Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Brendan O'Dowda, and his grandfather was the notable Irish Tenor who was also named Brendan O'Dowda.

Career statistics Club

International

Scores and results list the Republic of Ireland's goal tally first.

+ List of international goals scored by Callum O'Dowda No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 22 March 2023 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland 1–0 3–2 Friendly

Honours Oxford United Football League Trophy runner-up: 2015–16

Ferencváros Hungarian Cup: 2025–26