History Made: But What Next for Wales?

A reflective analysis of Wales’ historic qualification for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 – their first-ever major tournament – and what follows it. Head coach Rhian Wilkinson used a mountaineering metaphor to explain the qualifying campaign, guiding a squad led by evergreen midfielder Jess Fishlock and captain Angharad James through heavy group-stage defeats to the Netherlands, France and England, tempered by moments of pride like Fishlock’s equaliser against France. The piece weighs the toll on veteran players such as Sophie Ingle, Kayleigh Barton (who retired after the tournament) and Rhiannon Roberts, against a promising generation including Mayzee Davies and Mared Griffiths. It also covers wider structural progress: a landmark FIFA Talent Academy for girls, doubled grassroots participation since 2021’s ‘Our Wales: For Her’ strategy, and the domestic Adran Leagues’ push to professionalise.