Wales' national team manager Craig Bellamy has named 21-year-old Cardiff City forward Cian Ashford in his first call-up for the upcoming Nations League campaign, which marks the team's return to the top tier of the competition. However, Bellamy is without key defender Joe Rodon, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, and other defensive options such as Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio are also absent due to ongoing injuries. Despite these absences, Bellamy has brought back several players from previous matches, including Leeds United's Harry Wilson and Wolves' Jordan James, who missed earlier fixtures due to injury. Swansea City defender Ben Cabango, as well as Mark Harris and Liam Cullen, also return to the squad. The 28-man squad includes a recall for winger Wes Burns, who could make his first international appearance since 2024 after joining Leicester City. Wales will face three challenging opponents in the Nations League: Portugal, Denmark, and Norway. The first match is against Portugal on September 24, followed by a home game against Norway and two fixtures against Denmark. Captain Ben Davies, who has not played since a serious ankle injury in January, is included in the squad and could make his first appearance since October 2025. Meanwhile, Ashford, who has impressed early in the Championship season, will get his first chance in international football, joining attacking options like Liverpool's Lewis Koumas. However, other Cardiff forwards Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill are unavailable due to injury, and midfielder Kai Andrews is omitted despite an impressive start on loan at Oxford United. Wales' upcoming fixtures come at a difficult time for the team, which has not won any of its last four games and has not beaten a top-20 ranked team since October 2023. The squad is also facing internal changes, with two key members of Bellamy's backroom staff leaving their roles. Former captain Ashley Williams and ex-Swansea City manager Alan Sheehan have joined Bellamy's coaching staff to help navigate this challenging period. The team's current world ranking of 38th is the lowest since August 2014, and they will face a tough test against Portugal, the current Nations League champions, followed by matches against Denmark and Norway. The Wales squad includes goalkeepers Karl Darlow, Danny Ward, and Tom King, defenders like Ben Davies, Chris Mepham, and Ben Cabango, midfielders such as David Brooks and Harry Wilson, and forwards including Brennan Johnson, Kieffer Moore, and the newly called-up Cian Ashford. With the team set to face high-profile opponents, the focus will be on whether Bellamy's changes can lead to better results and a rise in the world rankings.