Rob Page welcomed Wales putting automatic qualification for Euro 2024 in their own hands after admitting he had been “fighting fires” before the stunning 2-1 victory over Croatia. Harry Wilson, winning his 50th cap, scored twice as Wales climbed above the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists in to second place in Group D.

Manager Rob Page says Wales should not move home games to the Principality Stadium ahead of Euro 2028. The UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028 was formally approved on Tuesday, with the 74,500-capacity home of Welsh rugby in Cardiff among the 10 venues to be used for the tournament.

Wales will press for hosting up to six games after the joint UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028 is given the formal seal of approval on Tuesday. The UEFA executive committee is set to give the green light to the five-nation bid, which is unopposed after Turkey withdrew last week to focus on its joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032.

Lionel Messi and company have been lined up as potential opponents for the Dragons with Wales keen to play Argentina in Cardiff or Patagonia, where thousands of Welsh emigrants settled in the 19th century. “There is an ongoing discussion between us and them,” Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney said about a possible friendly between the two nations.

Gareth Bale will boost the bid from the UK and Ireland to host Euro 2028 by joining the Welsh delegation in Geneva next month. Bale, the Wales men’s team’s most capped player and record goalscorer, retired from football in January after an illustrious career that saw him win five Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cups at Real Madrid.

Wales will play South Korea at home in a September friendly. It will be the first time the two nations have met at senior men’s level and will take place at Cardiff City Stadium on September 7, four days before Wales’ Euro 2024 qualifier in Latvia.

Hal Robson-Kanu has predicted that equal pay for international players will inspire more girls to play football for Wales. The former Wales striker described the decision as a “monumental move” after Wales’ men’s and women’s senior players learned they will be paid the same for the first time on international duty under the terms of a new equal pay agreement. The deal comes into place immediately and covers the period up to and including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Football in Wales is set to go ahead on the day of the King’s coronation on May 6. The Football Association of Wales cancelled all fixtures on the weekend following the death of the Queen in September, receiving criticism in particular for the decision to prevent children from playing by postponing youth-team matches. But there will be no repeat when Charles is crowned at Westminster Abbey, with the JD Cymru Premier play-offs to determine European qualification among the fixtures due to take place in Wales that day.

Wales will consider changing its name to Cymru on the international stage after the World Cup. Cymru – the Welsh name for Wales – is already used by the Football Association of Wales in its internal and external communications and by staff at the governing body’s headquarters in the Vale of Glamorgan. The FAW plans to speak to various stakeholders in Welsh football about the merit of changing the country’s name in international competition, while the PA news agency can reveal informal discussions have already been held with UEFA on the subject.

Profits made from Wales qualifying for the World Cup – expected to be around £4m – will go into improving grassroots facilities, the Football Association of Wales have pledged. The overall commercial revenue from Wales reaching their first finals of the tournament for 64 years could be at least £10m, it has been estimated. But the guaranteed part of that income – which comes from the FIFA prize money pot – will go straight into benefitting the game at lower levels.

S4C will remain the home of Welsh domestic football for the next four years. The broadcaster has reached an agreement with the Football Association of Wales for exclusive coverage of the domestic men’s, women’s leagues and the Under 21 international matches until 2026. A total of 35 games per season will be shown on Sgorio, from the JD Cymru Premier, JD Welsh Cup and Nathaniel MG League Cup.

By Rob Carbon Welsh football is finally breaking free of the shackles and emerging from the shadow of Welsh Rugby. The UEFA survey all but confirms that football is taking centre stage in Wales’ sporting theatre, with the recent result against Ukraine and the incredible atmosphere on Sunday night emphasising football’s new standing in the […]