Fishlock to join Wales staff for opening qualifier

Jess Fishlock will join Rhian Wilkinson’s coaching staff for part of Wales’ international camp in March before leaving to fulfil club commitments with Seattle Reign.

Wales legend Fishlock, 39, retired from international football in October, but signed a new one-year deal with National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Reign the following month.

She will join her former international team-mates as a technical assistant for Wales’ opening 2027 World Cup qualifying game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, 3 March.

Fishlock will not be present for the second Group B1 fixture, against Montenegro in Llanelli four days later, because of Reign’s preparations for the new NWSL season, which begins later in the month.

“She’s obviously in pre-season with Seattle so a big thank you to Seattle and to her coach Laura Harvey for allowing us to borrow her for the front end of this campaign,” said Wales head coach Wilkinson.

“She’s coming in as a technical assistant. I know 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.”

Wilkinson that she wanted Fishlock to be part of her staff for the March camp.

Fishlock’s former team-mate Kayleigh Barton, who has been working with Wales’ under-17s squad after retiring in the wake of Euro 2025, will also be involved with the senior group.

“These are women who have given everything for their country and as our young players come through now, I think having the support of those players around the environment is huge,” Wilkinson added.

“Equally, Jess needs to see a little bit behind the curtain so she can make her decisions about what she might want to do in the future, if she ever retires!”

The Czech Republic game, which will be played in Uherske Hradiste, is Wales’ first competitive fixture since Euro 2025, the maiden women’s major tournament in the nation’s history.

Wales’ hopes of following their European Championship appearance by reaching a first World Cup have not been helped by the loss of Fishlock, the greatest female player in the history of the Welsh game.

But while she feels Fishlock could still contribute on the pitch, Wilkinson says she has to accept her decision to stand down from Wales duty.

“Listen, Jess is one of those players that could play for many more years and she knew that when she retired,” Wilkinson said.

“It’s painful to know that she could probably still step on the pitch, but equally I think it was a great decision that she’s made when she’s healthy, strong and still fully capable to be like ‘OK, I want to focus on my club football at this point’.

“We had really good conversations and Jess is an all-in type person so she wouldn’t say ‘oh I’m good to go for another year’. In her mind if she’s good to go, she’s saying yes to a cycle, whether that’s two or four years, and I don’t think she felt like she had the energy to do that.”

Laura Hughes helped Wales end a 12-match winless run with victory over Switzerland in Spain in December [FAW]

Wales begin their bid to reach the World Cup knowing there is no opportunity to qualify automatically because they are in League B.

Assuming they do not finish bottom of a group which also includes Albania – which would be disastrous – Wales will progress to a play-off campaign in which they may have to come through stages to secure a place at the tournament, which will be staged in Brazil.

Wilkinson has recalled fit-again Newcastle United player Lois Joel to her squad for the first two group games, but midfielder Laura Hughes misses out through injury.

Hughes, who has previously been capped by Australia, made her Wales debut in the friendly win over Switzerland in December.

Wilkinson says she does not know the exact nature of Hughes’ injury, but expects her back for the double-header against Albania in April.

There are three uncapped players in the squad – goalkeeper Poppy Soper and Plymouth Argyle duo Olivia Francis and Phoebie Poole.

Wales squad

Olivia Clark (Leicester City), Safia Middleton-Patel (Manchester United), Poppy Soper (Rugby Borough), Ceri Holland (Liverpool), Gwen Zimmerman (Eclipse Select), Ella Powell (Bristol City), Rhiannon Roberts (Sunderland), Hayley Ladd (Everton), Gemma Evans (Liverpool), Charlie Estcourt (Portsmouth), Lily Woodham (Liverpool), Esther Morgan (Bristol City), Sophie Ingle (Bristol City), Mia Ross (Charlton Athletic), Angharad James (Seattle Reign), Lois Joel (Newcastle United), Carrie Jones (IFK Norrkoping), Tianna Teisar (Plymouth Argyle – on loan from Bristol City), Mared Griffiths (Sunderland – on loan from Manchester United), Olivia Francis (Plymouth Argyle), Phoebie Poole (Plymouth Argyle), Hannah Cain (Leicester City), Rachel Rowe (Nottingham Forest), Ffion Morgan (West Ham United), Elise Hughes (Crystal Palace), Mary McAteer (Charlton Athletic).

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