Wales U21 Women’s Hockey Squad Launches Crowdfunding Drive to Compete on World Stage in Chile
- maxparsons3
- 16 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Wales Under-21 Women’s Hockey squad has launched a major crowdfunding campaign, in partnership with Sport Wales and Crowdfunder UK, to raise vital funds for their journey to the Junior World Cup in Chile this winter, one of the most prestigious tournaments in world hockey.
The team secured their place at the 2025 Junior World Cup following a historic victory at the EuroHockey U21 II-A Championships in July 2024. They will now face an exciting but formidable group stage, drawn against Argentina, Belgium and Zimbabwe.
Held every four years, the Junior World Cup is the ultimate showcase of the world’s brightest young hockey talent. With 16 nations competing for glory, the 11th edition of the women’s tournament promises high drama.
For Wales, this tournament is about far more than sport. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a group of young women to test themselves against global powerhouses like Argentina, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands, teams with greater resources and long-established hockey programmes.
For the Welsh squad, it is a chance to prove that passion and talent can overcome the odds.
The campaign has an initial target of £40,000 to cover essential costs such as travel, accommodation and competition expenses. Without this support, Wales’ rising stars risk missing their opportunity to compete on the world stage.
“This is more than a fundraising drive,” said CEO Paul Whapham. “It’s about showing the world that Welsh women’s hockey belongs at the highest level, and that with the right support, our young players can inspire the next generation of girls to pick up a stick and dream big.”
Supporters of the campaign can unlock unique rewards, including a £150 Forza hockey stick, a £100 Net World Sports voucher, exclusive discount codes, and Kitlocker merchandise offers. Every contribution, large or small, brings the team closer to realising their dream.
Amy Hughes commented:
“Representing Wales on the global stage continues to be a huge ambition for me, one that I have strived for since the beginning of my hockey career. To be selected as part of the squad travelling to Chile for the JWC was my biggest international goal for 2025.
"It’s difficult for me to put in to words what this opportunity means to me and how proud I am for the chance to represent Wales at the Junior World Cup. To walk out on the pitch wearing my family name on my shirt and to sing the national anthem alongside my teammates on a world stage will be a huge moment of pride.”
"Unfortunately playing at an international level, the financial cost of representing my country falls to individual players and their families. Any donations will enable me to focus on my performance as a goalkeeper, alleviating some of the pressure to also self-fund alongside my training.”
After a summer of women’s sport, we encourage the public to unite behind this talented Welsh team.
How to Support
The campaign goes live on 23 October 2025. Donations and shares will be crucial to helping the squad reach their goal and take their place at the Junior World Cup in Chile.
In the first hours of the campaign, we have already seen £1300 raised.
