Wales women's national football team

The Wales national women's football team (Welsh: Tîm pêl-droed merched cenedlaethol Cymru) 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 1876 (1876).

Wales qualified for their first major championship, UEFA Women's Euro 2025, in December 2024.^[3] 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.^[4] However, they are set to 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.

The Wales Women's National Team was established in 1973.^[5] 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.^[6]

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^[6] 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^[7] 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.^[8]

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

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.^[9]

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

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

As of 26 February 2024.

• Sylvia Gore (1979–1989)^[10]
• Lyn Jones (1992-1995)
• Sue Lopez (1995–1996)
• Roy Thomas (1996–2000)^[11][12]
• Sian Williams (2000–2003)
• Andy Beattie (2003–2007)
• Adrian Tucker (2007–2010)^[13]
• Jarmo Matikainen (2010–2014)^[14][15]
• Jayne Ludlow (2014–2021)^[16][17]
• Gemma Grainger (2021–2024)^[18]
• Jon Grey (2024)^[19]
• Rhian Wilkinson (2024–)^[20]

The following players were named in the squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2025.^[21] Poppy Soper withdrew from the squad due to injury on 12 July and was replaced with Soffia Kelly.^[22]

Caps and goals are correct as of 9 July 2025, after the match against France.

The following players were called up to the squad within the last 12 months.

• Jayne Ludlow (−2012)
• Jess Fishlock (2012–2015)^[23]
• Sophie Ingle (2015–2024)
• Jess Fishlock (2024)
• Hayley Ladd (2024/2025) ^[24]
• Ceri Holland (2024)
• Angharad James (2024–)

• *Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 4 June 2024.

In April 2017, Jess Fishlock became the first player to earn 100 caps for the Wales national football team.^[26]

In April 2024, Jess Fishlock became the first player to earn 150 caps for the Wales national football team.^[27]

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty kicks.

1979 : Group Stage^[28]

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.

• Sport in Wales
  • Football in Wales
    • Women's football in Wales
• List of Wales women's international footballers
• Wales women's national under-19 football team
• Wales women's national under-17 football team
• Wales national football team
• Wales national football team, the men's team

• Official website
• FIFA profile