Wales had their travel to Montenegro severely disrupted last night as they had to stop off in Italy due to stormy weather.

Rhian Wilkinson’s squad took off from Cardiff at 16:30 on Wednesday and had been due to arrive in Montenegro later that evening.

Electrical storms in the area around Podgorica meant that the flight had to land at the Italian port city of Brindisi.

After spending more than three hours on the runway at Brindisi, the decision was taken to spend the night in Italy.

With limited hotel options available, Wilkinson and some of her staff stayed at the airport overnight, while the players went to a hotel.

“Due to storms in Podgorica, the Cymru women’s national team flight was diverted this evening, landing safely in Brindisi airport in south Italy,” the FAW said on social media.

“The team will stay overnight in Italy and will arrange alternative travel to Montenegro ahead of Friday evening’s match.”

Wales take on Montenegro on Friday afternoon, before hosting Czechia at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday.

They are behind the latter on goal difference in Group B1 of UEFA World Cup qualifying, and will likely need to win both remaining games to secure a seeded path into the play-offs.

Perhaps the most interesting player in Wilkinson’s Wales squad is newly capped midfielder Laura Hughes.

Hughes, who was previously capped by Australia in a 2024 friendly, made her debut for Wales having switched international allegiances at the end of last year.

Playing for Melbourne City, the 24-year-old came on as a second-half substitute as Melbourne City beat Wellington Phoenix two weeks ago to secure Australia’s domestic double.

Four days later she was in the starting line-up as City’s fine season ended with defeat to Japanese side Tokyo Verdy Beleza in South Korea in the last four of Asia’s Champions League.

“I think especially with the [Melbourne City] games being high-pressure knockout games, it’s prepared me really well for what’s coming with Wales,” Hughes said.

“To play at a World Cup, I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid so it would be really cool.”

Wales beat Montenegro 6-1 at Parc Y Scarlets in March, and will look to wrap up another big win to improve their goal difference ahead of what promises to be a much tighter clash with Czechia.

“I think the game against Montenegro will be challenging and will set us up really well for the next game,” Hughes added.

“We’ve obviously been preparing for Montenegro in training and different meetings. We’re looking at a really tough, aggressive side that we don’t know what, sometimes, they’re going to throw at us, so we’ve got to be prepared for everything.

“We’re just chasing the results and hopefully they come.”

Hughes qualifies for Wales through her mother, and missed the first two camps of the year with a knee injury, so is looking to build on her solitary cap.

“I played my last game of the season with Melbourne City in South Korea and so I thought instead of going all the way back, I’d just come straight here,” she explained.

“As soon as I came there was a heatwave, so I think I brought it with me. I was just hanging out with my family down Coney Beach. It was nice.

“I think my mum shed a tear when I made my debut. I spent a lot of summers here growing up. My family would come over and then my Welsh family would visit us in Australia.

“I feel very connected to Porthcawl and Wales. I feel very Welsh.”

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