Welsh football chief Noel Mooney has come in for heavy criticism from Wales fans following the announcement that TV rights for Wales matches have been sold to a subscription streaming service.  Mooney – the Football Association of Wales chief executive – tweeted on Wednesday morning that “UEFA had sold the rights for all 55 national associations for Europe”. 

Gareth Bale is counting down the days to the end of his time at Real Madrid – and he doesn’t have many to go. What next? Stuart Taylor believes the Cardiff City option makes sense, especially if you’re a Wales fan, but maybe less so if you’re his agent on a large commission. Why is Wales superstar Gareth Bale still being linked with a move to the Championship and Cardiff City in the summer? Well, for a start his Real Madrid nightmare will draw to a close in a few weeks’ time, as his current contract expires, and despite being touted as a target for any number of clubs, nothing has yet been agreed.

Helen Ward says she would not swap her 14-year international career for a more lucrative one in the modern era as she prepares to become the newest member of Wales’ 100-cap club. Ward is set to join Jess Fishlock, Loren Dykes and Sophie Ingle as Welsh centurions in Friday’s 2023 World Cup qualifier against France in Llanelli. Chris Gunter, Gareth Bale and Wayne Hennessey have reached the three-figure milestone in the men’s game.

Wales manager Robert Page has described the prospect of facing England at the World Cup as “mouth-watering”. The Dragons are one match away from making their first World Cup appearance since 1958 following a Gareth Bale-inspired 2-1 victory against Austria last month. Wales will meet Scotland or Ukraine for a place in the finals, with England lying in wait in Qatar on November 29 if Page’s men triumph.

Rabbi Matondo is learning the knuckleball secrets from Gareth Bale a year after a knucklehead decision cost him his place in the Wales squad. Matondo is set to face the Czech Republic on Tuesday, as Wales seek to ride the wave from their stunning Bale-inspired World Cup play-off victory over Austria. But only 12 months ago, Matondo was sent home by manager Rob Page for breaking a hotel curfew, along with Hal Robson-Kanu and Tyler Roberts, and his international future was in doubt.

Gareth Bale labelled Spanish newspaper headlines targeting him as “disgusting” after his two goals against Austria put Wales within one game of reaching the World Cup. Wales moved one step closer to their first World Cup since 1958 as Bale stole the show in a 2-1 win over Austria in the play-off semi-final. Spanish media outlets had criticised Bale after he linked up with Wales having been absent for Real Madrid in Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

By Harry Corish  Gareth Bale insisted he is match fit and refused to be drawn on his absence from ‘El Classico’ amid recent Madrid controversy. He is fit for Wales’ clash with Austria on Thursday and is set for one of his biggest nights in a Welsh shirt.  Whilst he has not featured much for Madrid this season, Bale has been in fine form for Wales, scoring three goals and recording three assists in his last five games for his country.

Neco Williams says it would be a “dream come true” for Wales to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and end their 64-year wait to grace the tournament. Wales host Austria in a World Cup play-off semi-final at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday. The winners will play Scotland or Ukraine in June to decide a World Cup place, something Wales have not experienced since reaching the quarter-finals of the competition in Sweden in 1958.

By Paul Jones Wales manager Robert Page has no fears over Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey’s limited game-time heading into World Cup play-off action and insisted “big players turn up for big games”. Skipper Bale and Ramsey head into the semi-final tie against Austria in Cardiff on March 24 following recent injury struggles. The 100-times capped Bale has only featured twice for Real since the end of August, with his only start coming against Villarreal in LaLiga last month, while Ramsey has started two games for Rangers following his January loan move from Juventus.

Gareth Bale ruled out any injury fears as his 100th appearance for Wales in their 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Belarus ended after 45 minutes. Neco Williams Ben Davies and Connor Roberts added to an Aaron Ramsey brace as Wales made light work of Belarus in Cardiff to move above the Czech Republic into second place. Wales are already guaranteed a World Cup play-off place through their Nations League results last year.

By Graham Thomas  Gareth Bale was always destined for greatness says the former teammate who shared cups of tea with him on Wales duty when others went out on the town. The Wales skipper will earn his 100th cap on Saturday night when Wales host Belarus at the Cardiff City Stadium in their penultimate World Cup qualifier. It will be a landmark occasion for Bale very few others have reached, but former teammate Sam Ricketts believes the clues were there when the Real Madrid star was a fresh-faced youngster.

By Tom Prosser Joe Allen says Wales “couldn’t be anymore hungrier” to get the job done as his side aim to qualify for their first World Cup since 1958. “The World Cup is the big one and the ultimately every player wants to feature in one,” explains Allen, who made his Wales debut over 12 years ago. “We are not a million miles but there is still a lot of work to be done.