Preparing for history - Wales gear up for Euro 2025

Welsh celebrations after qualifying for Euro 2025 may have settled down, for now, but what are the chances of Wales upsetting the odds in Switzerland this summer?

Rhian Wilkinson's side have made history by reaching a first major tournament, but they could not really have contemplated a harder draw than the one they have for the Euros with England, France and the Netherlands waiting for them in their group.

In the wake of Wales' memorable play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland, BBC Sport looks at how the nation's women could fare in their first major international tournament.

Tournament excitement despite lack of experience

Wales' players may be preparing to sample a major finals for the first time but they can be safe in the knowledge that the woman in charge has experienced it all before.

Wilkinson, who is 11 months into her Wales tenure, represented Canada with great distinction over 14 years as a player, earning more than 180 international caps and a place in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.

The 42-year-old won two Olympic bronze medals and played at four World Cups for her country of birth.

She now faces the task of bringing further glory to Wales, land of her mother's birth and a country where she spent some of her childhood years.

There is no doubt Wilkinson has delivered results. A first leg play-off semi-final defeat in Slovakia remains her only loss as Wales boss, while the team's 2-1 win in Dublin to secure their Euro 2025 place was lauded by many as a tactical triumph of counter-attacking football against a highly fancied Republic of Ireland side.

Wales' promotion to the top-tier of the Uefa Nations League, also under Wilkinson, means a chance to test themselves against top-seeded nations in preparation for the Euros in July.

They will play Nations League games against Italy and Sweden in February before facing Denmark in April.

Those fixtures could prove the acid test for Wilkinson's team ahead of Euro 2025.

Fishlock and Ingle availability will be key

As the lowest-ranked team at Euro 2025, Wales will surely need to be at full strength if they are to make it through Group D.

The form and condition of midfielder Jess Fishlock will be pivotal in how Wales perform. Even at the age of 38, Fishlock is a big-game player and as Wales' record goalscorer and cap holder, the Seattle Reign star will finally get the chance to shine at a major international tournament.

But just as important could be the return of Chelsea's Sophie Ingle.

Like Fishlock, Ingle is a former captain of the team who has been a mainstay of the Welsh set-up since her first cap in 2009.

Ingle suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September 2024 - a hammer blow not just to Chelsea, where she holds the record for Women's Super League appearances, but also for Wales, who often rely on her natural talent in midfield.

The 33-year-old has made it her mission to return in time for Switzerland.

"This is my aim now, I've got eight months to get back fit - as fit as I can - and hopefully be in with selection for this Euros," Ingle said last month.

"Obviously it's a daily grind but at least I've got an amazing aim to try to reach."

Wales' senior players will do whatever it takes to be in peak condition for Euro 2025, as evidenced by defender Hayley Ladd leaving Manchester United for Everton in search of regular game-time.

Growing the game in Wales remains a priority

Welsh football officials are predicting qualification will have a huge boost on the number of girls playing football in the nation.

Studies showed that in England, there was a 140% increase of girls playing football in the season after their triumph at Euro 2022.

There has been growth in Wales for a while, with the number of girls at registered clubs rapidly rising since 2016, when the men's team reached the European Championship semi-finals.

In 2016 the number of players was about 6,000. The Football Association of Wales (FAW) had already set a target of 20,000 players by 2026, with the number now at about 18,000.

The boost could actually be bigger, with those figures not including football played at schools.

"I think we'll smash that target now with the team qualifying," said FAW chief football officer Dave Adams.

Fishlock is confident a major finals appearance can have a big bearing.

"The whole point of this, initially [was that] I wanted to grow the game for the future and make it better than what it was, so I think I can sit here and say we did a pretty good job at that," she said.

"Not only can you want to be a footballer and play for the women's national team, but it's a very valuable and valid career path if that's what you want to do. It's going to be huge for girls that want to play moving forward."

However, Wilkinson has warned that Wales are "culturally behind" when it comes to supporting the women's game.

"I don't want to shy away from mentioning what needs to be mentioned and we're not there yet in Wales," she told BBC Sport Wales.

"Whenever I feel that we are demonstrating to our young people, boys and girls, that there is a more than and a lesser than and that it's gendered, it really bothers me.

"Because I can see that next generation, don't think that they're not noticing that their mums and dads bring them only to the men's game, like that is of more value."

Younger generation are coming through

Wales have relied heavily for a decade on a core group of players, but several younger talents have emerged in the set-up in the past 12 months.

Some six years after making her international debut as a 15-year old in the Faroe Islands, Carrie Jones scored the goal that has forever changed the landscape of Welsh football as she fired home the decisive goal in Dublin.

That Jones - who is now a regular starter for her club having moved to Sweden - was trusted to come on and replace Fishlock speaks volumes about the growing depth Wales can now call upon.

However, Jones was not the only younger member of Wales' squad whose efforts gave a glimpse into the future during the qualification campaign.

The last time Wales played in a play-off for a major finals they did so with an amateur player as their goalkeeper. This time around they did so with 23-year-old Olivia Clark, who is playing in the Netherlands for FC Twente and has been playing in the Champions League, as their last line of defence.

Clark, a BBC Sport Wales columnist, made some phenomenal saves in Dublin and throughout the qualifying campaign.

Her progress having moved to the Netherlands in search of regular game-time has illustrated the growth of the women's game in Wales, especially as she is facing competition from Safia Middleton-Patel, another highly rated professional player who represents Manchester United.

It was a similar story with Ingle's unfortunate injury, with Southampton's Alice Griffiths stepping in with some really assured performances to help Wales reach Switzerland.

Wales now have strength in depth they have not had before.