Wales ‘doing a lot of catch-up’ heading to Euro 2025

Technical director Dave Adams says the Football Association of Wales (FAW) is “doing a lot of catch-up” in women’s football as the Wales team prepare for Euro 2025.

Head coach Rhian Wilkinson will name her squad on Thursday for Wales’ first appearance at a major finals in Switzerland this summer.

Speaking to the BBC documentary series Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red, which tells the story of the Wales women’s team, Adams admits it is only recently that the FAW has invested equally between the men’s and women’s teams.

“It’s very hard for me to comment on the history of it,” said Adams, speaking before qualification was secured.

“But all I can say I suppose, is it probably wasn’t fair or respectful to those athletes at that time.

“My view is, I’ve got a daughter myself so you’d hope that any opportunity that my son’s afforded, my daughter is also afforded.

Prior to 1993 there was no official Wales women’s team affiliated with the FAW.

Their first qualifying match, against Switzerland for Euro 1995, was played at Cwmbran Stadium and attracted a crowd of just 345.

Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red – hosted by Wales’ record goalscorer Jess Fishlock – explores the team’s journey from those early origins, playing in handed down kit under part-time coaches, to their qualification for Euro 2025, which was secured when they beat Republic of Ireland in Dublin in a play-off final in December.

Adams says the FAW is now committed to equality and investing in the women’s game.

“We’re moving in that direction,” he added.

“We’ve definitely got a lot more equality. We’re doing a lot of catch-up in this space and I think we didn’t invest proportionally on both sides.

“All I can say now is that we’re doing that and we hope that we can make quick progress in this space.

FAW chief executive Noel Mooney says getting more women and girls playing football is one of the governing body’s main priorities.

“If we provide a lot more opportunities to schools and to the younger age groups I think that number will just go up and up and up,” he said.

“We treat the women’s game like a start-up almost because it hadn’t had the investment historically. Now we’re investing in it very heavily.”

In 2021 the FAW launched its first ever women and girls football strategy, with the aim of doubling participation levels to 20,000 registered girls playing football.

“I think we’re one of the highest spending national associations as a percentage of our turnover,” added Mooney.

“It’s changed. There’s a paradigm shift from where it was when I started my career maybe 20 years ago.

“But what we need to do is keep supporting the grassroots game to grow as well.

“So it’s making sure we’ve got all the things in place to make sure that this growth that we see doesn’t plateau.”

Wales face the Netherlands in their first group game at Euro 2025 in Lucerne on 5 July before playing France and England in Saint Gallen.