Wales without seven players, including Ceri Holland, for Albania play-off
September 29, 2026 12:11
Wales will be without seven players through injury for their Women's World Cup play-off semi-final against Albania. Midfielder Ceri Holland, who was Liverpool's player of the season in 2025-26, is among those omitted after being sidelined for Liverpool's past three games.
SQUAD ABSENCES
The players missing for fitness reasons are Ceri Holland, Olivia Clark, Hayley Ladd, Laura Hughes, Ffion Morgan, Ella Powell and Mia Ross.
SQUAD CHANGES AND CALL-UPS
Head coach Rhian Wilkinson has handed first senior call-ups to two 18-year-olds: Newcastle forward Casi Gregson and Tottenham wide player Heidi Hills. The pair are listed among six uncapped players in the squad; the other uncapped players named in the source are goalkeepers Soffia Kelly and Poppy Soper, Wolves' Olivia Francis and 19-year-old centre-back Cadi Rodgers.
Goalkeeper note: the absence of Leicester City's Olivia Clark leaves Safia Middleton-Patel (on loan at Watford from Manchester United) as the only goalkeeper in the Wales squad with international experience.
FIXTURES AND PATH TO THE WORLD CUP
Wales travel to Albania for the first leg on Friday 9 October, with the return in Llanelli four days later. The winners of that tie will face either Norway or Romania in the play-off final in December. The lowest-ranked of the eight European play-off winners will enter inter-confederation play-offs, and should Wales progress that far they may then have to negotiate inter-confederation play-offs early next year to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil.
RECENT FORM
Wales are unbeaten in their past eight internationals. They ended a run of 12 games without a win with a friendly victory over Switzerland in December 2025, and in June drew in Montenegro before beating the Czech Republic to secure top spot in their World Cup qualifying group.