Rhian Wilkinson has included Laura Hughes in her 26-player Wales squad for friendlies in Spain next month.

Hughes qualifies for Wales via her mother from Gwent is called up for the first time despite featuring in a friendly for Australia in December 2024.

Hughes plays for Melbourne City and won the club’s player of the year in 2023/24 but is not tied to the Matildas due to her cap coming in a non-competitive against Chinese Taipei. She appeared as a second half substitute in a 6-0 victory.

Wales will face Switzerland in a friendly on Tuesday, 2 December at El Chapin Stadium in Jerez de la Frontera.

Rhian Wilkinson’s team will also play a friendly on Friday, 28 November at Malaga’s Football Foundation Centre, but their opponents are still to be confirmed.

Hughes is the only new call-up in the first Wales squad named since Jess Fishlock’s international retirement, though there are four other uncapped players in Poppy Soper, Annie Wilding, Olivia Francis and Phoebie Poole.

Rhiannon Roberts, Ella Powell, Rachel Rowe, Lily Woodham and Esther Morgan are recalled having missed last month’s defeats against Poland and Australia through injury, but Josie Green and Soffia Kelly are again absent.

Anna Filbey, Alice Griffiths, Lois Joel, Gwen Zimmerman, Scarlet Hill, Amy Richardson and Teagan Scarlett are all omitted having been in the previous Wales squad.

Mia Ross and Tianna Teisar are involved again having won their first Wales caps in the October matches.

The Spanish trip will be Wales’ final get-together before beginning their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Women’s World Cup with an away fixture against the Czech Republic on 3 March, 2026.

Wales Squad

Olivia Clark (Leicester City)

Safia Middleton-Patel (Manchester United)

Poppy Soper (Rugby Borough)

Ceri Holland (Liverpool)

Annie Wilding (Portsmouth)

Ella Powell (Bristol City)

Rhiannon Roberts (Sunderland)

Hayley Ladd (Everton)

Gemma Evans (Liverpool)

Charlie Estcourt (DC Power)

Lily Woodham (Liverpool)

Esther Morgan (Bristol City)

Sophie Ingle (Bristol City)

Mia Ross (Charlton Athletic)

Laura Hughes (Melbourne City)

Angharad James (Seattle Reign)

Carrie Jones (IFK Norrkoping)

Tianna Teisar (Plymouth Argyle – on loan from Bristol City)

Mared Griffiths (Manchester United)

Olivia Francis (Plymouth Argyle)

Phoebe 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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