Wales squad announced to face Canada and Denmark

A 26-player squad has been selected for Gemma Grainger’s first matches in charge of Wales as her side take on Canada and Denmark on Friday, April 9, and Tuesday, April 13.

With Grainger less than a fortnight into the role, she has relied on staff involved in February’s training camp to select the squad as she looks to prepare her side against two of the world’s top ranked teams.

Reading defender Bethan Roberts earns her first senior call-up, while Liverpool striker Ceri Holland receives her first full call-up after joining the squad halfway through last month’s training camp.

Holland joins the squad on the back of winning the Championship Player of the Month award for her club in the English FA’s Women’s Championship.

Gemma Grainger said: “With the squad needing submitting only two days into the job, it was really important for me to utilize the existing staff from the February camp to select the squad.

“We want to play the higher ranked nations and there’s no better test as we look to prepare for the World Cup qualifying campaign and the next four years.”

The matches will be a key part of Wales’ preparation for the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign, with the draw taking place on Friday, April 30.

Grainger’s reign will get underway against Canada at the Leckwith Stadium on Friday, April 9, (KO 18:00) whilst the match at Denmark will take place at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, April 13, (KO 19:15). Both matches will be available to watch on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer.

Wales: Laura O’SULLIVAN (Cardiff City Ladies), Olivia CLARK (Coventry United), Poppy SOPER (Plymouth Argyle), Rhiannon ROBERTS (Liverpool), Gemma EVANS (Bristol City), Maria FRANCIS-JONES (Cardiff City Ladies), Charlie ESTCOURT (London Bees), Hayley LADD (Manchester United), Josie GREEN (Tottenham Hotspur), Elise HUGHES (Blackburn Rovers- On loan from Everton), Anna FILBEY (Celtic- On loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Sophie INGLE (Chelsea), Angharad JAMES (Reading), Jess FISHLOCK (Reading- On loan from OL Reign), Carrie JONES (Manchester United), Kayleigh GREEN (Brighton & Hove Albion), Natasha HARDING (Reading), Rachel ROWE (Reading), Helen WARD (Watford), Lily WOODHAM (Reading), Georgia WALTERS (Blackburn Rovers), Ffion MORGAN (Crystal Palace), Esther MORGAN (Tottenham Hotspur), Ceri HOLLAND (Liverpool), Bethan ROBERTS (Reading), Kylie NOLAN (Cardiff City Ladies).