Gemma Grainger has announced a 26-player squad for Wales opening matches of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign against Kazakhstan and Estonia.
Grainger has a full-strength squad available, including Ceri Holland who missed out on the 1-0 defeat at home to Scotland in June. There is a first call-up for 22 year-old Hannah Cain. The Leicester City midfielder was last involved in the Wales setup in 2014 when she scored twice against Northern Ireland for the U-17s. Meanwhile, Maria Francis-Jones and Bethan Roberts have been selected in the U-19 squad that will face Northern Ireland in a double header at Colliers Park during the international window.
Wales begin the campaign at home to Kazakhstan at Parc y Scarlets on Friday 17 September (KO 19:15), before travelling to Parnu to face Estonia on Tuesday 21 September. The match against Kazakhstan will be the side’s first match in front of the Red Wall since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wales last faced Kazakhstan in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign, recording 1-0 wins both home and away thanks to goals from Jess Fishlock and Hayley Ladd. Grainger’s side will also be familiar with Estonia, having beaten them 2-0 at the Racecourse in March 2020 thanks to goals from Megan Wynne and Nadia Lawrence.
Tickets for the Kazakhstan match start at only £2 (group bookings) and £4 (individual bookings) for kids, available at faw.cymru/tickets.
Wales: Laura O’SULLIVAN (Cardiff City Ladies), Olivia CLARK (Coventry United), Poppy SOPER (Plymouth Argyle), Hayley LADD (Manchester United), Gemma EVANS (Reading), Rhiannon ROBERTS (Liverpool), Esther MORGAN (Tottenham Hotspur), Rachel ROWE (Reading), Lily WOODHAM (Reading), Sophie INGLE (Chelsea), Anna FILBEY (Charlton Athletic), Angharad JAMES (North Carolina Courage), Josie GREEN (Tottenham Hotspur), Charlie ESTCOURT (Coventry United), Jess FISHLOCK (OL Reign), Carrie JONES (Manchester United), Chloe WILLIAMS (Manchester United), Ffion MORGAN (Bristol City), Megan WYNNE (Charlton Athletic), Hannah CAIN (Leicester City), Natasha HARDING (Reading), Ceri HOLLAND (Liverpool), Kayleigh GREEN (Brighton & Hove Albion), Helen WARD (Watford), Elise HUGHES (Charlton Athletic), Georgia WALTERS (Liverpool).
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