Wales turn attention to Albania as potential Grainger reunion looms

Wales' women's national team begins a new attempt to reach a first-ever World Cup this week, opening a play-off semi-final against Albania. The first leg takes place Friday in Shkoder, with the return fixture four days later in Llanelli.

Should Rhian Wilkinson's side progress, they could face Norway in December's play-off final — a team now managed by Gemma Grainger, who previously led Wales. Norway are considered strong favourites in their own semi-final against Romania.

Grainger took charge of Wales in 2021 and came closer than any previous manager to guiding the team to a World Cup, losing the 2022 play-off final to Switzerland on a late goal. Although she signed a new long-term deal with the Welsh football association in 2023, she stepped down in January 2024 to take the Norway job.

Wales players speak positively of Grainger's impact, crediting her tenure with raising the team's profile and attracting record numbers of fans. For now, though, the focus remains on Albania, ranked 67th in the world, 36 places below Wales.

The two sides already met twice this year during World Cup qualifying group play — Wales won 4-0 at home in Wrexham and 1-0 away. Still, Wales acknowledge their away form overall has been less convincing than at home, and say they have worked to address it.

Should Wales get past Albania, a potential final opponent would be Norway, ranked 14th by Fifa and a round-of-16 finisher at the most recent World Cup. Wales have never beaten a top-20 team in a competitive match, but players say there is no doubt within the squad that an upset against Norway is possible.

It is also worth noting that the lowest-ranked European play-off winner advances to an inter-confederation play-off, a scenario that could theoretically involve Wales. The team, however, has proven itself in high-stakes knockout matches before, having come through the play-offs to reach Euro 2025, the first major tournament in the nation's history.