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Wales women's national football team

The Wales national women's football team () represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales (FAW), the governing body for football in Wales and the third-oldest national football association in the world, founded in .

Wales qualified for their first major championship, UEFA Women's Euro 2025, in December 2024. They have never qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup. The closest they have come was falling to Switzerland in the UEFA play-offs final for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. However, they are set to potentially take part in a World Cup for the first time in 2035 when they automatically qualified as co-host with other three countries in the United Kingdom.

As a country of the United Kingdom, Wales is not a member of the International Olympic Committee and therefore the national team does not compete in the Olympic Games.

History

The Wales Women's National Team was established in 1973. Their debut fixture was a match against Ireland at Stebonheath Park in Llanelli. A crowd of 3,500 watched them lose 3 - 2.

For 20 years the team was organised independently of the FAW. In 1993, players Laura McAllister, Michelle Adams and Karen Jones, succeeded in persuading the FAW secretary Alun Evans that the FAW should take over the running of the women's national team.

In 2003, the FAW withdrew the team from qualifying games for UEFA Women's Euro 2005 citing the cost of travelling to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Estonia and Israel and cutbacks being needed to support Mark Hughes' men's team. The move was criticised by manager Sian Williams and player Jayne Ludlow and Wales were fined 50,000 Swss Francs by UEFA.

In 2010, Ludlow withdrew from the squad entirely returning only in 2012 with the appointment of Jarmo Matikainen as the first ever full time manager of the women's side.

In 2018, Wales finished second in their World Cup qualifying group for the first time ever, missing out on a playoff spot due to second place team rankings. In 2020 they missed out on a playoff spot by away goals.

Under manager Gemma Grainger, Wales reached the playoffs for qualification to 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. They beat Bosnia, but lost in extra time against Switzerland in Zurich. John Grey was temporarily placed in charge for one match in February 2024 before Rhian Wilkinson took over the reins for the Euro 2025 qualifying which began in April 2024.

On 3 December 2024, the team made history after beating the Republic of Ireland 2-1 qualifying for a first time ever to major women's tournament. Subsequently, Wales ended with three defeats at the group stage of the finals and were eliminated but not before showing that they were one of the best supported teams at their matches in Luzern and St. Gallen.

The European qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup to determine the UEFA teams that will qualify directly for the final tournament and for the inter-confederation play-offs will take place from February to December 2026. The results from the first phase of qualification will also be used to determine the leagues for the 2027 UEFA Women's Nations League.

Draw

Wales were part of the league phase draw which took place at 13:00 CET on 4 November 2025.

League B

Group winners, runners-up, and third-place teams will advance to the play-off phase. All group winners will be promoted to 2027 UEFA Women's Nations League A, and all fourth-place teams and the two lowest-ranked third-place teams will be relegated to 2027 UEFA Women's Nations League C.

Group B1

Team image

Media coverage

Live television broadcast rights are held by BBC Cymru Wales (Welsh & English language commentary) until 2027.

Colours and logo

The primary kit has long been all-red. The crest of the Football Association of Wales features a rampant Welsh Dragon on a white shield. From 1920, the shield was surrounded by a red border, and the letters 'FAW' were added in 1926. The badge was redesigned in 1951, adding a green border with 11 daffodils, as well as the Welsh-language motto Gorau Chwarae Cyd Chwarae ("The best play is team play"). The motto was briefly removed in 1984, but the badge stayed largely the same until 2010, when the shield was changed to feature rounded sides and the motto banner was changed from white to red and green. The dragon also changed from rampant to rampant regardant. The motto was removed again in 2019, following another major redesign of the badge, which saw the top of the shield flattened and the sides changed not to curve outwards; the green border was also thinned and the daffodils removed.

Kit supplier

Results and fixtures

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

Legend

2025

2026

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

Manager history

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for Matchdays 1 and 2 of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification matches against Czech Republic and Montenegro on 3 March and 7 March 2026, respectively. 

Caps and goals correct as of 7 March 2026, after the match against Montenegro. 

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the squad within the past 12 months.

Notes
  • <sup></sup> = Withdrew due to injury
  • <sup></sup> = Preliminary squad / standby
  • <sup></sup> = Retired from the national team
  • <sup></sup> = Unavailable for selection - playing at WU19 level

Captains

Records

Players in bold are still active with the national team.

Most capped players

Top goalscorers

In April 2017, Jess Fishlock became the first player to earn 100 caps for the Wales national football team.

In April 2024, Jess Fishlock became the first player to earn 150 caps for the Wales national football team.

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Championship

Wales at the UEFA Women's Championship

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty kicks.

European Competition for Women's Football (Unofficial)

1979 : Group Stage

UEFA Women's Nations League

Algarve Cup

The Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's soccer hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football.

Other tournaments

Head to head record

<small>P – Played; W – Won; D – Drawn; L – Lost<br /> Statistics include official FIFA recognised matches only<br /> Up to date as of 3 December 2025</small>

See also

Notes

References

External links