Laura Hughes has barely had time to catch her breath. In the space of a fortnight, the 24-year-old midfielder helped Melbourne City win the A-League Women's grand final, then lined up from the start as City were beaten by Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the AFC Women's Champions League semi-finals in South Korea. Now she has arrived at the Wales squad with two pivotal Women's World Cup qualifying fixtures in her sights, and she is in no mood to slow down.

Wales face Montenegro in Podgorica on Friday, 5 June (kick-off 17:00 BST) before returning to Cardiff to host the Czech Republic next Tuesday. Finish top of Group B1 and Wales secure a more favourable route through the play-offs later this year. As things stand, they are separated from the Czechs only by goal difference, meaning the Montenegro result could yet prove decisive.

High-stakes football as preparation

Hughes is candid about how the intensity of City's run to consecutive knockout ties has sharpened her readiness. "I think especially with the games being high-pressure knockout games, it's prepared me really well for what's coming with Wales," she said. "To play at a World Cup, I've dreamed about since I was a kid so it would be really cool."

City's season was, by any measure, a historic one for the Melbourne club. Hughes was part of a squad that secured the domestic double before their continental adventure concluded at the semi-final stage. That blend of winning under pressure in a final and then absorbing defeat in a high-profile continental knockout will have given her experience that few players of her age can claim heading into a qualifying window.

A Welsh connection rooted in family

Hughes was born and raised in Canberra and was capped by Australia in a friendly in 2024, but she switched allegiance to Wales — the country of her mother — after head coach Rhian Wilkinson offered her the opportunity. She describes the decision as a "no-brainer".

Her ties to Wales are genuine and long-standing. Her grandfather, aunt and two cousins live in Porthcawl, and Hughes spent stretches of her childhood visiting the town. After Melbourne City's final game in South Korea, rather than fly home to Australia, she headed straight to Porthcawl to spend time with her Welsh family — and was rewarded, she jokes, by arriving during a heatwave.

"I feel very connected to Porthcawl and Wales," she said. "I feel very Welsh." Her mother, she added, shed a tear when Hughes made her Wales debut, coming on as a substitute in December's 3-2 friendly victory over Switzerland.

Eyes on a competitive bow

That Switzerland appearance remains her only cap for Wales to date. She missed the opening two camps of this qualifying campaign through a knee injury, making her current fitness all the more significant for Wilkinson's side. A competitive debut against Montenegro would be a considerable moment — particularly in a match where a comprehensive winning margin may be required to keep Wales level with the Czechs on goal difference.

Hughes is under no illusions about the challenge awaiting in Podgorica. "We're looking at a really tough, aggressive side that we don't know what, sometimes, they're going to throw at us, so we've got to be prepared for everything," she said. "We're just chasing the results and hopefully they come."

Whether Hughes starts or appears from the bench, her arrival into the camp — physically fresh despite a punishing schedule and evidently emotionally invested in the Welsh cause — gives Wilkinson a genuinely intriguing option in midfield at a critical juncture in the campaign.

Frequently asked

What time does Wales Women vs Montenegro kick off on Friday?
The Women's World Cup qualifying match between Montenegro and Wales kicks off at 17:00 BST on Friday, 5 June at Gradski Stadion in Podgorica. It is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Wales from 16:45 BST.
Does Wales Women need to win to qualify for the World Cup play-offs?
Wales need to finish top of Group B1 to secure a more favourable play-off path. They are currently level on points with the Czech Republic but behind on goal difference, so a strong winning margin against Montenegro could be important before the two sides meet in Cardiff the following Tuesday.
Why is Laura Hughes playing for Wales instead of Australia?
Hughes, who was born in Canberra and previously received one cap for Australia in a friendly in 2024, switched international allegiance to Wales through her mother's heritage. She has family in Porthcawl and says she feels a strong connection to Wales.