WALES will meet UK Armed Forces next month as part of their preparations for the 2026 Wheelchair World Cup, which will be taking place twelve months from now in the southern hemisphere.

Head coach Alan Caron is also looking ahead to next summer’s Celtic Cup, which will also involve Ireland and Scotland.

UK Armed Forces, meanwhile, will be playing their third match since being launched during the summer.

Leading players from The Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have already combined to beat England Universities and draw with a South-East England select side.

The match will be played at the Allam Sports Centre, Hull on Saturday, November 22 (2.00pm).

Caron, who guided his team to a 34-24 win over The Army in Cwmbran last year, said: “It’s great to be able to take on UK Armed Forces leading into what will be a big year for Wales Wheelchair.

“The Celtic Cup is massive for us as we want to not only reclaim the trophy but prepare well for the World Cup.

“Playing against UK Armed Forces, who will be a strong side, will be a good benchmark for where we are.

“We’re excited to be back up and running just as the WRL Wheelchair League finishes. It will be good to be able to get all the team back together again and we know that, just as The Army was last year, UK Armed Forces will be a tough challenge.”

Hull FC’s Steve Sampher, who is the player-manager of UK Armed Forces, said: “By bringing together players from across the services, we have formed a stronger and more diverse roster, providing us with more options as we move forward.

“Together, we now have a truly inclusive and powerful squad ready to represent us.

“Last year, we narrowly lost to Wales when fielding an Army-only side. However, with all three services contributing, we are confident we can reverse that result and continue to build a lasting sporting link between Wales and UK Armed Forces.

“The 2026 season promises to be exciting. We are considering potential overseas tours and we will of course have a great season of domestic fixtures.”