by Staff Writer
Friday, 17th October 2025
A number of West Ham United Women's first team stars have been called up for international duty.
Winger Ffion Morgan has received a call-up to the Wales squad ahead of their two international friendlies during the October break. This marks the 25-year-old’s first involvement with the national team since their historic UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 campaign — Wales’ first-ever appearance at a major international tournament.
The number 23, who joined the Hammers in July after leaving Bristol City, featured in all three Group D matches during the summer competition, enjoying a tournament that will live long in her memory.
Wales now shift focus to their upcoming fixtures, where Morgan is set to face fellow West Ham internationals in both matches. The first test comes against Katrina Gorry’s Australia at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday 25 October (2pm BST), followed by a meeting with Kinga Szemik’s Poland at Rodney Parade, Newport, on Tuesday 28 October (7:45pm GMT).
A 46-cap international, Morgan has started the Hammers’ last four matches in all competitions and scored her first goal for the Club in the Subway® Women’s League Cup victory over Charlton Athletic in September.
* Jessie Stapleton and Jess Ziu have been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their crucial UEFA Women’s Nations League play-off ties against Belgium later this month.
For Ziu, this marks her first international call-up since July 2024, following her recovery from a second ACL injury sustained last August. The 23-year-old, currently on loan at Bristol City in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2, last featured for Ireland in a 3-1 win over France in July 2024 and returned to action in a pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic in August.
Meanwhile, Stapleton, who is spending the season on loan at Nottingham Forest after an impressive spell with Sunderland, has made a strong start to life with the Tricky Trees, scoring her first goal for the club against Portsmouth at the City Ground earlier this month.
The 20-year-old was crowned the FAI Young Women’s International Player of the Year in June after an outstanding 2024/25 season and signed a new contract with the Hammers in July.
Ireland, who finished second in Group B2, will face Amber Tysiak’s Belgium, third in Group A3, for a place in League A next season. The first leg takes place at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Friday 24 October (7pm BST), offering both Dublin-born players a special homecoming, before the return fixture at King Power at Den Dreef Stadion in Leuven on Tuesday 28 October (7:30pm GMT), where the aggregate winners will secure promotion.
* Left-back Verena Hanshaw has been selected for the Austria national team ahead of their vital UEFA Women’s Nations League play-off clash during the October international break.
In June, Austria finished third in Group A1, earning six points from fixtures against Germany, the Netherlands, and Scotland. Irene Fuhrmann’s side will now face Czechia, who placed second in Group B4, in a two-legged tie to secure their League A status.
The first leg is set for Friday 24 October at the Městský Fotbalový Stadion in Brno (4:30pm BST), before Austria host the return fixture at Generali Arena in Vienna on Tuesday 28 October (5pm GMT).
Hanshaw has made over 100 senior appearances for her country since debuting in 2011 and was the only Austrian named in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 Best XI, after helping her side reach the semi-finals. She also featured prominently at Euro 2022, starting all four matches as Austria reached the quarter-finals.
The experienced defender joined the Hammers from AS Roma in January and has since made 17 appearances in all competitions, including five so far this season.
* Midfielder Anna Csiki has been called up to the Hungary national team for their upcoming October international friendlies.
Alexandra Szarvas’s side will begin their double-header against Luxembourg at the Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium in Budapest on Friday 24 October (5pm BST), before travelling to Senec to face Slovakia on Tuesday 28 October (3pm GMT).
Csiki, who joined the Hammers on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day, became the first Hungarian to feature in the Barclays Women’s Super League when she made her debut for Spurs last season.
The 25-year-old has made three appearances for West Ham so far and was crowned the first-ever Women’s Hungarian Ballon d’Or winner in January, following an exceptional year for both club and country. The award, presented by NB1.hu, recognised her as Hungary’s standout performer of 2024.
Our No15 has now earned 50 senior caps for Hungary and continues to play a key role for her national side.
* And finally, midfielder Halle Houssein has been named in the Turkey squad for their UEFA Women’s Nations League play-off against Kosovo during the October international break.
The 20-year-old, a lifelong Hammer who signed her first professional contract with the Club in summer 2023, was previously called up by Necla Güngör Kırağası in May for Turkey’s final Group B2 matches, as they finished third in the table.
Turkey will now take on Kosovo, who placed second in Group C6, in a two-legged play-off to determine promotion and relegation. The first match is scheduled for Friday 24 October at Pristina City Stadium (4pm BST), followed by the return leg on Tuesday 28 October at Göztepe Gürsel Aksel Stadı (5pm GMT).
After spending the latter half of last season on loan at Beylerbeyi, Houssein has made one appearance so far this campaign — starting in the Women’s League Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, where she recorded two assists in a 5-1 win at The Valley.
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