Ryan Hedges will find out on Wednesday if he will be heading to the World Cup with Wales.

Wales boss Rob Page is set to name his 26-man squad for the tournament, with Hedges firmly in his thoughts.

While the Rovers midfielder hasn’t featured for his country since 2019, his form has seen him move onto the radar of the Welsh FA, while he was on standby for the Nations League games in September.

Page will name his squad on Wednesday, with official paperwork having to be with FIFA by Sunday, November 13.

For the first time ever, World Cup squads have been expanded to include 26 players, though only 23 will be able to be named in the matchday squad.

The 27-year-old, who has three caps, is understood to have been included in an extended Wales squad already named by Page, albeit not officially, with Hedges to learn his fate on Wednesday.

That comes after a timely return to fitness for the versatile Hedges who was back in the Rovers side for the win over Huddersfield Town after missing two matches with a groin problem.

He was substituted in the closing stages of that match, though Jon Dahl Tomasson allayed any injury fears.

Hedges said: “With the World Cup around the corner and a big week before it with West Ham and Burnley away, luckily the injury wasn’t as bad as I thought.

“I’ve always said that my aim is to go to a World Cup. It’s out of my hands, I’ve done all I can, it’s now up to the manager to decide whether I warrant a place in the squad.

“It’d be a dream come true to be part of it. Every footballer wants to play on the biggest stage and the World Cup is that.

“If I am to go then I don’t want to be there just to make up the numbers, I want to go and play a real part in it."

Hedges, who made his Wales debut in 2017, has found a friend in Gus Williams who was appointed as Rovers’ head of recruitment in September.

That saw him leave his post within the Wales FA where he spent 22 years, helping to create the FAW’s Talent ID programme from youth to senior level.

“Gus, who’s been a big part of the Welsh set-up, is here at Blackburn so we’ve had quite a few discussions about it and he keeps putting my name forward and saying ‘come to Ewood and look at this Ryan Hedges, he’s alright’,” the Rovers midfielder added.

“It’s great that he’s got that link to the Welsh set-up and I’ve got three caps and played before, so it would be great if it comes but if not, then hopefully my form for Rovers will be top notch.”

Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson has been involved in World Cups, both as a player and coach, and believes that Hedges’ versatility would come in handy.

He said: “He’s a player who could do well because he can play in lots of positions, flexible and is a player who could do well. I hope for the boy (he goes).”

Wales are in Group B alongside England, Iran and USA.

Their first game is on Monday, November 21 (7pm) against USA.

Wales then face Iran on Saturday, November 26 (10am) before their clash with England on Tuesday, November 29 (7pm).

The Championship has a month-long break for the World Cup which follows Rovers’ game at Burnley on Sunday, November 13.

It then resumes on Saturday, December 10, when Rovers host Preston North End.

Should Wales qualify for the round of 16, then those games would be played between December 3 and December 6.

Hedges would miss Rovers’ game with Preston should Wales qualify for the quarter finals.

Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski is Rovers’ other player who could go to the World Cup, though his is much more of an outside chance.

Kaminski was on the reserve list for Belgium’s Euro 2020 squad, and has been a regular in the squad since his move to Rovers from KAA Gent in 2020.

However, despite eight clean sheets and excellent recent form for Rovers, he appears to be fifth choice in Roberto Martinez’s goalkeeping ranks.

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