Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson believes her side are better prepared to take on the top nations following a challenging year as qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil begins in March.
The new campaign kicks off against Czechia at the City Stadium in Uherské Hradište on Tuesday, 3 March (KO 5:30pm GMT) before Cymru return to Parc-y-Scarlets, Llanelli to take on Montenegro on Saturday, 7 March (KO 4:30pm GMT). Cymru have been drawn in League B1 and will also take on Albania as they look to reach the play-offs later this year.
“We want to be a nation that’s pushing the top countries in the world,” said Wilkinson at the squad announcement this week. “The players are holding themselves to account and there were games last year that we should have won. We’ve learnt so much against top opposition and I think we are starting to show how good we are and how good we can be in the future.”
Cymru claimed just one victory in 2025, a 3-2 friendly win over Switzerland in December, but it was a year that saw the team compete in League A of the UEFA Nations League and make their major tournament debut at EURO 2025 in a tough group with England, France and the Netherlands. However, the side claimed two impressive 1-1 draws with Sweden as well as in a friendly against Korea Republic.
“If we look back at 2024 the average rankings of the teams we played against was something like 60th in the world,” Wilkinson explained. “It was 11th in 2025, and that’s important because this is where we want to be. It’s important that we see the gaps. If we were to play a team and win 6-0, what are we learning? I want to see who crumbles under pressure and who steps up.
“I think everyone was aware it had been a tough year. We played some fantastic teams, and I wanted to do that, which means that sometimes you spend the year not winning as many games as you’d like, but hopefully growing and improving. Against Switzerland things came together, and it was a lovely way to end the year where we really showed the growth that we’ve had because of that year of challenge.”
Wilkinson has named a strong squad for the opening two games of the new qualifying campaign, although Laura Hughes, who made her debut in the victory over Switzerland, misses out through injury. Meanwhile, there are three uncapped players in squad in Plymouth Argyle duo Olivia Francis and Phoebie Poole, together with goalkeeper Poppy Soper.
“We’re still working on our depth,” Wilkinson added. “We’re still working on how we move our players up and down and through our system. With our Under-19’s overlapping with us, it’s always a conversation where they’re going to get the most minutes, where it’s going to benefit them the most.”
Wilkinson also confirmed that Jess Fishlock, who retired from international football last year, will be involved as a technical assistant coach for the opening match against Czechia before she returns to Seattle to continue her pre-season preparations with her club. However, assistant coach Jon Grey is no longer involved having taken up new positions with Swansea City and the Cymru MU18 squad.
“I hope everyone knows how appreciative I am of what Jon gave to the women’s programme,” said Wilkinson. “He’s been a massive part of it, even before my time, so he will be a loss. But equally I think I’ve brought a new technical team around me who are going to fill in some of the great jobs that he delivered. So, it’s a fresh start, but he will be hugely missed.
“Jess is coming in as a technical assistant. I know that as a former player who became a coach, it’s quite a leap off a cliff. When the players have days off, you do not. Your day starts a lot earlier and ends a lot later. Jess is still a player for Seattle and she’s just retired from the national team, so she will be eased into it. In that way, it’s slightly different than the other technical staff, but she will be putting in a shift for sure.”
It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Wilkinson as her wife very recently gave birth to a baby girl. “I’m really grateful to my staff who have really stepped up,” she added. “This camp has come around very quickly, and it will be a balance between being on maternity leave and also being part of a qualification campaign, but the FAW has been great in supporting myself and my family.
“For me, it’s lovely to know everyone’s on this journey with me. They know that I’ve needed support and they’ve stepped up. They’ve taken care of a lot of the little details that usually come across my desk which they they’ve kept away from me because they haven’t felt like they’ve needed me, which I’m very grateful for.”
