The Football World Cup

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 15 June 2022.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 1:39, 15 June 2022

I think the Member makes a broad point, and then I'm not sure I'd agree with all of the specifics, but I want to be positive in response. Because Iceland and other smaller countries that have qualified—. I think about our near neighbours, the Republic of Ireland, as well, a relatively small nation, and how successive qualifications have helped with not just the image but actually what that then does for the future of the country. So, we have good relationships with all of our Nordic partners, including Iceland. And the First Minister, of course, was recently in Norway itself, as opposed to Iceland. So, we will continue to want to take advantage of those opportunities, but also to see the context in which Wales qualify now. We already have trading relationships in the Gulf region. When you think about the countries we are playing against in the group, the USA being our first game, it's certainly a key market for us; the biggest market outside Europe is the USA as well. So, we're thinking about how we look to take up all of those opportunities that participation on this stage will give us. And, actually, I think it's a good thing in terms of Wales's place in the wider world that England are in our group. It'll make the clear point that the UK and Britain are not synonymous with England only, having two parts of the UK and having our national teams playing against each other, and I hope that some of my friends and colleagues in England will see me being a magnanimous victor after that game, but, more than that, the big opportunity that this really does present for Wales.