She played as a midfielder and was a member of, and for several years also the captain of, the Norway women's national team, making her debut in 2003.

Stensland was born in Farsund in the south of Norway and grew up at nearby Lyngdal showing her talent for football at an early age.

She had a successful career with Lyngdal before starring for clubs such as FK Donn, Athene Moss, and Kolbotn in her home country Norway, Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in Sweden, and Lyon in France.

At the beginning of 2009, Ingvild Stensland signed a contract with top French club, Olympique Lyonnaise.

At about the same time she took over as captain of the national team, an appointment that was confirmed by the new chief trainer, Eli Landsem, at the end of 2009.