Jess Fishlock: Wales legend to join staff for first 2027 World Cup qualifier

Jess Fishlock will join Rhian Wilkinson's coaching staff for part of Wales' international camp in March before leaving to fulfil club commitments with Seattle Reign.

Wales legend Fishlock, 39, retired from international football in October, but signed a new one-year deal with National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) side Reign the following month.

She will join her former international team-mates as a technical assistant for Wales' opening 2027 World Cup qualifying game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, 3 March.

Fishlock will not be present for the second Group B1 fixture, against Montenegro in Llanelli four days later, because of Reign's preparations for the new NWSL season, which begins later in the month.

"She's obviously in pre-season with Seattle so a big thank you to Seattle and to her coach Laura Harvey for allowing us to borrow her for the front end of this campaign," said Wales head coach Wilkinson.

"She's coming in as a technical assistant. I know as a former player who became a coach, it's quite a leap off a cliff. When the players have days off, you do not. Your day starts a lot earlier and ends a lot later.

"Jess is still a player for Seattle and she's just retired from the national team so she will be eased into it. In that way, it's slightly different than the other technical staff, but she will be putting in a shift for sure."

Fishlock's former team-mate Kayleigh Barton, who has been working with Wales' under-17s squad after retiring in the wake of Euro 2025, will also be involved with the senior group.

"These are women who have given everything for their country and as our young players come through now, I think having the support of those players around the environment is huge," Wilkinson added.

"Equally, Jess needs to see a little bit behind the curtain so she can make her decisions about what she might want to do in the future, if she ever retires."

The Czech Republic game, which will be played in Uherske Hradiste, is Wales' first competitive fixture since Euro 2025, which was the first women's major tournament the team had qualified for.

Wales' hopes of following their European Championship appearance by reaching a first World Cup have not been helped by the loss of Fishlock, the greatest female player in the history of the Welsh game.

But while she feels Fishlock could still contribute on the pitch, Wilkinson says she has to accept her decision to stand down from Wales duty.

"Jess is one of those players that could play for many more years and she knew that when she retired," Wilkinson said.

"It's painful to know that she could probably still step on the pitch, but equally I think it was a great decision that she's made when she's healthy, strong and still fully capable to be like 'OK, I want to focus on my club football at this point'.

"We had really good conversations and Jess is an all-in type person so she wouldn't say 'oh I'm good to go for another year'. In her mind if she's good to go, she's saying yes to a cycle, whether that's two or four years, and I don't think she felt like she had the energy to do that."

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