CYMRU have learned their opponents for the Euro 2025 playoffs following Friday’s draw in Nyon. Rhian Wilkinson’s side must navigate two two-legged ties later this year to qualify for the tournament in Switzerland next July.
A potential round two showdown with Ireland is on the cards, with Cymru first facing Slovakia in round one. The winner of this tie will then take on the victor of Ireland’s clash with Georgia.
Wilkinson’s team topped Group B4 in the initial qualifying stage, remaining undefeated and scoring 18 goals in six games. Confidence is high as they prepare for their next challenge, starting with an away match in Slovakia on Friday, 25 October. The return leg will take place at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 29 October. The winner will then progress to round two and play either Georgia or the Republic of Ireland in November and December for a spot in the 2025 finals in Switzerland.
“We have four more games, hopefully,” Wilkinson said following the draw. “We need to get through the first round and then the next round with two more matches. It’s a marathon. People forget I had just two weeks before our first qualifying games, but now I’m loving seeing the team start to express themselves. There’s real freedom on the field, knowing that we must improve every single game. We aim to make history.”
“They’ve had some heartbreaks in the past, and that’s tough. They carry that with them, but it’s crucial that we have a wonderful mix of senior experience and youthful optimism. The young players don’t have those scars; they have the eternal optimism we need. I’ve told the team we need the experienced players to step up and lead, and the young players to give us a boost because they don’t have any scars. This is an exciting opportunity for them, and they’ll need each other to succeed.”
Cymru are currently undefeated in eight games, a run that began with an impressive 0-0 draw against Germany, which was former head coach Gemma Grainger’s final match before she moved to Norway. Cymru have conceded just three goals in these last eight games. Wilkinson believes her squad and staff are in a good place following the first part of the qualifying campaign.
“They’ve done really well,” she explained. “They didn’t know me, and they went straight into a qualifying campaign where I asked them to play slightly differently, to do things they hadn’t done before. The staff has almost completely changed, and they had to adapt quickly. That’s not easy; no one likes change, and footballers especially dislike it! It’s a testament to the group’s professionalism and their willingness to give their energy and effort. I’ve loved watching them grow as a team, and we’re excited to regroup. It’s going to be a bit of a wait for the next games against Slovakia.”
Like Cymru, Slovakia have never qualified for the finals of a major women’s tournament and are currently 50th in the FIFA World Rankings, while Cymru have moved up one place to 31st following their recent results. The last time Cymru and Slovakia met was in June 2013, when they played two friendly internationals in Senec, both ending in draws. The last time Cymru competed in the playoffs, a record attendance for a home women’s match was set in Cardiff, with 15,200 fans at the Cardiff City Stadium in October 2022 for the victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, setting up the final against Switzerland.
“We’ll absolutely watch all the opposition,” Wilkinson added. “I have an incredible team around me, so we all know our roles and strengths. It’s great to know the path, but we must first focus on the challenge of Slovakia, both home and away, before looking any further. The experiences of scoring lots of goals and grinding out results have prepared the team well for the coming games. We must stay true to who we are and what I believe in as a coach, while also being mindful of the opposition’s strengths.”
The seven playoff winners will join hosts Switzerland and direct qualifiers Denmark, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain in the draw for the finals on 16 December.
