WALES — Campaigners are urging the Football Association of Wales to establish under-21 or under-23 women's national teams to address what they describe as an 'unacceptable' gap between youth and senior international football. Soraya Kelly, mother of Wales senior squad goalkeeper Soffia Kelly, is leading calls for a 'sustainable pathway' to retain young talent that might otherwise leave the game.
"There's no pathway [in Wales] but Scotland and England have. The boys have got it. European countries have got it. Why have we not got it?" Kelly said. "Soffia is lucky, she's involved with the seniors, as well as Mared and players like Phoebe Poole who is amazing and scoring all these goals. But other girls are so talented and there's nowhere for them to go. So many talented girls are dropping off, or even before dropping off, are thinking, 'Well, we've only got till we're 19, so what's the point?'"
Kelly launched the campaign 'Equality For Our Women And Girls' after presenting a petition to the previous Welsh Government. The petition requested funding for the Football Association of Wales to create women’s under-21 and under-23 national teams, expand regional talent identification, and ensure equal media promotion. The Senedd’s petitions committee acknowledged the association’s existing efforts to promote women’s and girls’ football and agreed to forward the petition’s request.
Until recently, under-21 or under-23 women’s teams were uncommon in Wales due to the absence of official UEFA tournaments. UEFA has stated it has no current plans to introduce such competitions, though an independent under-23 European League launched in July 2024. England won the 2026 edition, and Scotland participated in the group stage, leaving Wales and Northern Ireland as the only UK associations without recognized sides.
Former Cardiff City player Shanelle Edwards, who represented Wales at under-17 and under-19 levels but left football without earning a senior cap, supports the initiative. "I've spoken to other past players who agree. We are all in alliance with the fact that there isn't that pathway. The gap between being an 18 or 19-year-old footballer to competing with senior level players—who could be 25 upwards—is a big jump both physically and mentally." She added, "The proof is in the pudding. When you look at the men's team, stats don't lie. You're not often getting 18 or 19 year-olds playing in the first team. The average men's team player will make his debut between the ages of 21 and 23. It's huge to have that gap bridged."
Helen Ward, a former Wales striker with 105 caps, said growing participation has expanded the talent pool. "In the past, I always thought there wasn't really a need with the talent pool that we have in Wales being quite small. Players like Carrie Jones stepped up to the senior team at 15. Don't get me wrong, she's an anomaly—an outrageous generational talent that was able to do that—but you felt that players that were coming out of the 17s would often skip the 19s." She added, "Where it's different now, is that there are many more opportunities for girls to play football in and around Wales, so players are developing earlier and faster. So, there is now a bigger pool where not everybody is going to be able to jump from the 17s and 19s straight into senior football."