Wales' Montenegro Trip Upended by Storms, Flight Diverted to Italy

Wales’ preparations for their crucial Women's World Cup qualifier in Montenegro have faced significant setbacks after their team flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Italy due to severe weather conditions.

Rhian Wilkinson’s squad departed Cardiff at 16:30 BST on Wednesday, with an expected arrival in Montenegro approximately three hours later. However, electrical storms surrounding the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica prevented the aircraft from landing. Consequently, the plane diverted to the southern Italian port city of Brindisi.

After spending over three hours waiting on the tarmac in hopes that the weather would improve, officials decided it was safer to remain in Brindisi for the night. This unexpected stopover left Football Association of Wales (FAW) officials rushing to book hotel accommodations for the traveling party and to organize alternative transportation to Montenegro for the following day.

Addressing the situation on social media, the FAW stated: "Due to storms in Podgorica, the Cymru women's national team flight was diverted this evening, landing safely in Brindisi airport in south Italy. The team will stay overnight in Italy and will arrange alternative travel to Montenegro ahead of Friday evening's match."

The team is scheduled to face Montenegro in their second-to-last Group B1 match at 17:00 BST on Friday at the Gradski Stadion in Podgorica. Their campaign concludes with a final fixture against group rivals Czech Republic, who they are competing against for top spot, hosted in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Match Details: * Fixture: Montenegro v Wales Women's World Cup Qualifier * Date: Friday, 5 June * Time: 17:00 BST * Venue: Gradski Stadion, Podgorica

Broadcast Information: Live coverage will be available on BBC Two and iPlayer starting at 16:45 BST. Radio commentary can be heard on BBC Sounds via BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru. Additionally, text commentary and match highlights will be provided on the BBC Sport website and app.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 03:30:09 UTC