Wilkinson hoping Fishlock will join Wales staff

Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson is hoping Jess Fishlock will join her coaching staff for the start of World Cup qualifying in March.

Wales kick off their bid to reach Brazil 2027 with games in the Czech Republic on 3 March and at home to Montenegro four days later.

Fishlock says she is keen to "give back in any way I can" having ended her stellar international playing career in October.

Head coach Wilkinson wants the 38-year-old on board when Wales return to action in the spring.

"I'm hoping she'll be on the staff in the next camp, that will be an important one," Wilkinson said.

"In what capacity - that will come. I have great Welsh people around me on my staff and it's important that I keep making sure there's a lot of Welsh voices and a lot of Welsh passion, to make sure we never lose that from the national team."

Wilkinson says Fishlock and Kayleigh Barton, who is already working with young Welsh players having ended her playing career in the wake of Euro 2025, are "instrumental to the culture" she wants within the national squad.

Fishlock, who will be 39 in January, signed a new one-year contract with National Women's Soccer League club side Seattle Reign last month.

She called time on her Wales career having scored 48 times in 166 appearances, the last of which came in a friendly defeat by Australia at the Cardiff City Stadium.

"I think we know that Jess could still be playing," Wilkinson told BBC Wales' Feast of Football podcast.

"I think knowing that you've got more in the tank… it's going to be a hard year for her because she knows that she could still play for Wales.

"But she was able to retire at home in Cardiff with her amazing clan of Fishlocks surrounding her. I think that was important."

As well as the Czech Republic and Montenegro, Wales will take on Albania in Group B1 in World Cup qualifying.

There is no chance to qualify automatically for the tournament because Wales are in League B, meaning Wilkinson's team will need to come through a play-off campaign which could feature three stages if they are to reach a first Women's World Cup.

Wilkinson has said Wales are at the start of a new four-year cycle leading up the 2029 Euros, but has stressed that her team can mount a World Cup qualification challenge.

Fishlock, meanwhile, says the "future is really bright" as a number of younger players try to establish themselves with Wales – and wants to help them along the way.

"Being a part of the group and their future is something I would love of course," Fishlock told BBC Sport Wales.

"I'd love to be able to give experience and sometimes a little bit of calmness.

"It's just how and what that looks like. Obviously I live in America so that makes it a little bit tricky, but I'd love to try to work something out with that."

Having beaten the Republic of Ireland in a Euro play-off in December 2024 to qualify for a first major tournament, Wales endured a difficult 2025.

They lost all three European Championship games during a 12-game winless run which they finally halted with a friendly win over Switzerland earlier this month.

Fishlock insists the emergence of "a lot of young kids" will benefit Wales in time.

"They are good, they just need some time to understand what international football is because it's so different to club [football]," she added.

"I think they will be able to qualify for a major tournament again, but in this initial phase it might just have a few more ups and downs as they start to stabilise."