A new era for Wales at Women's EURO 2025
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Article summary
Wales coach Rhian Wilkinson couldn't have been prouder when her team made history and qualified for UEFA Women's EURO for the first time.
Article top media content
Article body
"This team stands on the shoulders of giants who came before," she declared.
Wales will join Poland as debutants at UEFA Women's EURO 2025, a milestone which could trigger a seismic shift in the direction of the women's game in the country. But to understand the present, it is important to learn about the past.
A catalyst for change
Wales' first qualifying campaign was for Women's EURO 1995 – in two games against Germany they conceded 24 goals without reply. There was no media coverage on the scale of today, no major marketing strategy, and modest support from the fans.
Like the trailblazers of the 1970s and 1980s before them, playing international football could feel like a million miles away from the game as we know it in 2025.
But those experiences became the catalyst for change.
Roll forward 30 years and a record-breaking 16,845 fans were in attendance for the first leg of the Women's EURO 2025 qualifying play-off against Ireland in Cardiff. The crowd included young girls who now have the opportunity to play organised club football in Wales every weekend.
It included girls inspired by female football role models, it included men and boys supporting their country, and it included many of those former players, like Laura McAllister, who were part of that first UEFA qualifying campaign.
An opportunity for growth
"I don't think it's too much to say that it'll transform women’s football," said McAllister to BBC Sport Wales.
"Seeing Wales on the world stage, seeing our players line up for the anthem, our flag – these are things that you just can't quite get your head around until they happen."
"I think people won't quite comprehend what an enormous platform this is until the tournament kicks off and then there will be no turning back. Once that genie is out of the bottle, I think women's football in Wales will go to stratospheric heights."
Wilkinson is in agreement: "A lot of Welsh people – especially mothers and grandmothers – never had access to football. That’s why I think having the Welsh women's team at EURO will really highlight the opportunities for young girls in the country.
"That's critical. I think Wales has some work to do and I hope the tournament is a real catalyst for change."
McAllister is in a position to appreciate what this success can deliver for future generations. A UEFA vice-president since 2023, she is a powerful figure in the arena of European football, and holds her country very close to her heart.
"Looking at how women's football is organised now in UEFA, we're looking at a strategy of it being a multi-billion-pound industry by 2030," she added.
"I think we're savvy enough in Wales, with a strong enough strategy and a good enough leadership, to ensure we don't waste this opportunity."
This piece was taken from the official UEFA Women's EURO 2025 programme, which is available for purchase at stadiums and kiosks in each of the host cities.