Wales' Nations League window exposes squad depth and scheduling strain
October 5, 2026 15:50
Wales lost three of their four Nations League fixtures in the latest international window, with an eye-catching win over Norway sandwiched between defeats in Portugal and against Denmark. Manager Craig Bellamy criticised the four-game format, saying it made "no sense" and favoured bigger nations that could name separate squads for the block.
KEY CONTEXT
The window exposed Wales' lack of squad depth. Harry Wilson and Joe Rodon were ruled unfit before play began, David Brooks withdrew midway through the camp with injury, and fringe options on the bench included players such as Wes Burns, Mark Harris and Josh Sheehan, who have spent time in League One. Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts summed up the issue, warning Wales do not have the strength in depth to change games when the starting XI struggles. Roberts also questioned late substitutions against Denmark, noting Kieffer Moore was not introduced until the 83rd minute and Dan James did not play in that match despite his earlier contribution in the window.
There were other symptoms of strain: midfield Jordan James admitted the team looked "a little bit flat" after a tough preceding game, and organisers noted a few too many empty seats for the Sunday-night match, with travel costs and recovery cited as factors affecting fans and revenue. Wales have not kept a clean sheet in any of their past nine matches.
WHY IT MATTERS
Euro 2028 qualifying will use the same four-game autumn format next September and October, so Wales face similar scheduling challenges in competitive qualifiers if they do not address depth and recovery issues.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Wales' hopes of staying in Nations League A and a potential boost to Euro 2028 seedings remain in their own hands going into next month's final pair of fixtures.