A campaign driven by the mother of Wales goalkeeper Soffia Kelly is demanding an end to what she calls an 'unacceptable' gap in women's football pathways. Soraya Kelly's Equality For Our Women And Girls movement warns that young talent is being lost because no under-21 or under-23 national squad exists to bridge the leap from under-19 level to the senior side. Without that structure, promising players are simply dropping out of the game.
Kelly's petition, presented to the previous Welsh Government, calls on the Football Association of Wales to create women's U21 and U23 teams, expand regional talent identification, and guarantee equal media promotion. She argues the disparity is stark: men's and boys' football in Wales – and women's setups in England and Scotland – have long reaped the benefits of age-grade international teams. 'There's no pathway in Wales but Scotland and England have it. The boys have got it. European countries have got it. Why have we not got it?' Kelly asked. She insists the solution is straightforward – equal opportunities for women and girls.
Until recently, UEFA did not stage official tournaments for women's under-23 football, reducing external pressure to invest in those age groups. However, the landscape has changed. A new independent Under-23 European League launched in July 2024, and England won the 2026 edition while Scotland fielded a side in the group stage. That leaves Wales and Northern Ireland as the only UK associations without recognised U23 teams, risking a competitive gap that could widen over time.
A handful of elite talents have made the direct jump. Manchester United forward Mared Griffiths, still a teenager, has already collected six senior caps, while Soffia Kelly has been elevated to the senior set-up. But campaigners stress these are anomalies. 'You go to the 19s and if you're not involved in the seniors, you haven't got much of a chance then of going anywhere,' Kelly explained. The current U19 squad under coach Nia Davies has shown impressive form, beating England recently, but only four or five of its 20 players remain eligible after ageing out. The rest face a void.
The human cost is illustrated by former Cardiff City prospect Shanelle Edwards. A Welsh international at U17 and U19 level, she was invited to train with the seniors but never earned a cap and left football entirely at 32. 'The gap between being an 18 or 19-year-old footballer to competing with senior level players – who could be 25 upwards – is a big jump both physically and mentally,' Edwards said. She believes an U21 or U23 bridge would have boosted her chances and kept her in the sport. Other past players, she added, share that conviction.
Wales' record goalscorer Helen Ward once felt the talent pool was too small to justify extra age groups. But with girls' participation growing rapidly, she has changed her view. 'Now more than ever, there is starting to become a real need for it,' Ward said. She noted that she did not debut until 22 and that many players are late developers who would benefit from a transitional environment. 'Players are developing earlier and faster, so there is now a bigger pool where not everybody is going to be able to jump from the 17s and 19s straight into senior football.'
Funding is the chief obstacle. The FAW depends on commercial income and FIFA and UEFA distributions, a revenue stream strained by the men's failure to reach the summer's World Cup. The Welsh Government supports grassroots projects – including a Partner Support Fund connected to the women's historic Euro 2025 qualification – but direct financing of an elite age-group pathway would require careful negotiation. The Senedd's petitions committee acknowledged the FAW's existing good work and forwarded Kelly's requests, yet no concrete commitment has materialised.
The broader implications are worrying. Without intermediate squads, Wales cannot offer a complete development ladder at a time when the women's game is professionalising across Europe. The momentum generated by Euro 2025 risks being wasted if the most promising teenagers have no clear route to senior international football. As England, Scotland and continental rivals build depth through U23 programmes, Wales' competitive disadvantage will only grow.
The campaign thus pushes for urgent action, framing the absence as an equity issue and a performance imperative. Kelly's message is blunt: 'It's not rocket science. We just want to have equal opportunities as our boys in Wales.' The growing voice of former players and the evidence of lost potential add weight to a call that appears harder for the football authorities to ignore.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.