
Cymru can move a step closer to history on Friday when Rhian Wilkinson’s side head to Slovakia for the 1st leg of their UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Play-Off Round 1 (4.30pm).
This is the first time that Cymru have made it through to the play-offs for EURO, although they did reach the same stage in qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, Wilkinson is determined for her players to look forward and not let ‘baggage from the past’ affect their chances of success.
A play-off place was assured as Cymru claimed top spot in Group B4 which also rewarded them with promotion to League A for the next edition of the UEFA Women’s Nations League. Cymru were undefeated in their six group games with four wins and a draw. By comparison, Slovakia were relegated to League C.
“I’ve seen all their games,” said Wilkinson about Slovakia at the squad announcement last week. “They’re a team that does what they do very well, and if you don’t respect the talents they have on that field, if you look past them for a second, they’ll hurt you. I think they’ve got some underrated talents and I don’t think their results reflect how well they can play at times.”
Cymru were defeated by Switzerland in the play-off for the last World Cup under former manager Gemma Grainger, and while Wilkinson’s full focus is on the challenge ahead, she recognises the legacy of that loss and how it is an additional challenge for her squad to overcome. “This play-off series comes with a weight that we also have to learn to carry,” she explained.
“I think as soon as you say ‘play-off’ for a lot of the team it brings a lot of the baggage from the past. We have to just look at it as the next game in front of us and that’s what I’m doing and that’s what all my staff will do, knowing that if we take care of what we can control, then I’m pretty confident that the results will follow. This team is good enough to do it.”

In a change to the qualifying format, the winners of the match between Cymru and Slovakia will take on Georgia or the Republic of Ireland next month for a place at the finals which will take place in Switzerland next summer. The match on Friday will take place at the National Training Centre in Poprad before the return match at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 29 October (7.15pm).
“The FAW has been incredibly supportive of how do we not only give our players everything they need physically, but also mentally,” Wilkinson added. “I’m a huge believer in it and that’s our biggest objective is how do we support these women. We will not look past the first Slovakia game in Slovakia and then we will not look past the Slovakia game in Cardiff. There won’t be not one mention of the second round of play-offs during this camp, because it’s irrelevant if we don’t take care of the business that’s right in front of us.”
Sophie Ingle misses out following her ACL injury but Jess Fishlock has been included despite her own injury problems in recent weeks and has had limited game time for Seattle Reign. “Jess will give and do anything for her country,” said Wilkinson. “They have been taking her return to play incrementally. It’s been a tough season for the club, but testament to Laura Harvey [head coach] and her staffing group that they don’t just throw a player like Jess on the field. They have done an incredible job of making sure the player is put first.”
Meanwhile, Angharad James will lead the side out for the first time since becoming the permanent Cymru captain. “I took my time to name my captain,” explained Wilkinson. “I felt it was important for me to get to know the players, but also for the players to understand that the person I was choosing was going to be the right one, and it’s definitely Angharad James. To see her in the group and how she works with the young players, how she makes sure everyone in the group is being heard as well is important.

“I’ve also named two vice-captains in Ceri Holland and Hayley Ladd to help support that. I think it’s important that your captains group represents the entire team and have different voices. They don’t ever say the same thing in a meeting and they challenge each other, which I think is important. They challenge me as well, which is their role, respectfully done. I like when people ask the questions that are on their mind so that they can go out and perform. I think those three women with Angharad as the captain will do a good job.”
Although the focus is very much on the next challenge, Wilkinson is more than aware of what qualifying for a first major tournament would mean. “We know what it will do for football and Wales,” she added. “You see the growth of the game and we all know that qualifying for a major tournament is exactly what we need to really light that spark.
“I know what qualification will do for the country, but even more importantly, to these women that I now care so much about. I know how much so many of them have given for so many years to try and give this gift to their country.”
Cymru v Slovakia
29 October, Cardiff City Stadium
For Us. For Them. For Her.
Duke Al x FAW