Craig Bellamy says England friendly ideal to help Wales qualify for World Cup | OneFootball

Wales boss Craig Bellamy says playing a friendly against England later this year is ideal to help them qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Wales meet England at Wembley on October 9, just four days before hosting Group J favourites Belgium in a World Cup qualifier.

Belgium’s trip to Cardiff City Stadium is expected to be pivotal to Welsh hopes of topping the section and qualifying for their second successive World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“I liked the opposition, England, because we have got Belgium,” said Bellamy, whose side start their World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Kazakhstan on Saturday and play away to North Macedonia three days later.

“I needed the high intensity, but I didn’t need it on a Friday (three days before the Belgium game).

“I needed England to work on a Thursday and we didn’t want to travel, so ideally it was to be a home game.

“But I wanted to keep the pitch OK as well because of the importance of the Belgium game.

“So, the high intensity and quality of the opposition without travelling, England was perfect.”

New England boss Thomas Tuchel welcomed the Wales fixture after it was announced last month, saying the “derby match” would assist them on their own World Cup journey.

Former Chelsea manager Tuchel will be in charge for the first time in upcoming qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

Bellamy said: “They were keen as well for the game. I know John McDermott (FA technical director) there really well.

“He’s a really good guy and it just worked.

“It’s a great game. You get a great stadium, of course, great opposition, and a top manager.”

The two countries first played each other in 1879 and have met 104 times.

They last met at the 2022 World Cup group stage in Qatar when England won 3-0.