Australia cap Hughes called up by Wales

Wales have named Melbourne City midfielder Laura Hughes, who has been capped once by Australia, in their squad for the upcoming international camp in Spain.

Hughes, whose mother is from Gwent, is called up by Wales for the first time despite featuring in a friendly for the Matildas in December 2024.

Wales will face Switzerland in a friendly on Tuesday, 2 December (11:00 GMT) at El Chapin Stadium in Jerez de la Frontera.

Hughes, 24, made her professional debut as a 15-year-old for home-city club Canberra United.

Her solitary international appearance came as a substitute in a 6-0 victory over Chinese Taipei, but she is eligible to switch allegiances to Wales because that was not a competitive game.

Hughes is the only new call-up in the first Wales squad named since Jess Fishlock’s international retirement, though there are four other uncapped players in Poppy Soper, Annie Wilding, Olivia Francis and Phoebie Poole.

Rhiannon Roberts, Ella Powell, Rachel Rowe, Lily Woodham and Esther Morgan are recalled having missed last month’s defeats against Poland and Australia through injury, but Josie Green and Soffia Kelly are again absent.

Mia Ross and Tianna Teisar are involved again having won their first Wales caps in the October matches.

The Spanish trip will be Wales’ final get-together before beginning their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Women’s World Cup with an away fixture against the Czech Republic on 3 March, 2026.

Wales, who will also face Albania and Montenegro in Group B1, are in the midst of a miserable run, having failed to win in 11 games since they beat Republic of Ireland in a Euro 2025 qualifying play-off in December 2024.