diff --git a/esphome/components/rp2040/__init__.py b/esphome/components/rp2040/__init__.py
index 71e5f1488c..4d4ea3fcce 100644
--- a/esphome/components/rp2040/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/rp2040/__init__.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
 from esphome.core import CORE, CoroPriority, EsphomeError, coroutine_with_priority
 from esphome.helpers import copy_file_if_changed, read_file, write_file_if_changed
 
+from . import boards
 from .const import KEY_BOARD, KEY_PIO_FILES, KEY_RP2040, rp2040_ns
 
 # force import gpio to register pin schema
@@ -35,6 +36,16 @@ AUTO_LOAD = ["preferences"]
 IS_TARGET_PLATFORM = True
 
 
+def get_board() -> str:
+    """Return the configured board name."""
+    return CORE.data[KEY_RP2040][KEY_BOARD]
+
+
+def board_has_wifi() -> bool:
+    """Return True if the configured board has WiFi (CYW43 wireless chip)."""
+    return boards.BOARDS.get(get_board(), {}).get("wifi", False)
+
+
 def set_core_data(config):
     CORE.data[KEY_RP2040] = {}
     CORE.data[KEY_CORE][KEY_TARGET_PLATFORM] = PLATFORM_RP2040
diff --git a/esphome/components/rp2040/boards.py b/esphome/components/rp2040/boards.py
index c99934567a..aac12eae5a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/rp2040/boards.py
+++ b/esphome/components/rp2040/boards.py
@@ -1910,6 +1910,7 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "Pimoroni PicoPlus2W",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
         "max_virtual_pin": 64,
     },
     "pimoroni_plasma2040": {
@@ -1926,6 +1927,7 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "Pimoroni Plasma2350W",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
     },
     "pimoroni_servo2040": {
         "name": "Pimoroni Servo2040",
@@ -1976,12 +1978,14 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "Raspberry Pi Pico 2W",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
         "max_virtual_pin": 64,
     },
     "rpipicow": {
         "name": "Raspberry Pi Pico W",
         "mcu": "rp2040",
         "max_pin": 29,
+        "wifi": True,
         "max_virtual_pin": 64,
     },
     "sea_picro": {
@@ -2013,6 +2017,7 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "Soldered Electronics NULA RP2350",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
     },
     "solderparty_rp2040_stamp": {
         "name": "Solder Party RP2040 Stamp",
@@ -2038,6 +2043,7 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "SparkFun IoT RedBoard RP2350",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
     },
     "sparkfun_micromodrp2040": {
         "name": "SparkFun MicroMod RP2040",
@@ -2063,18 +2069,21 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "SparkFun Thing Plus RP2350",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
         "max_virtual_pin": 64,
     },
     "sparkfun_xrp_controller": {
         "name": "SparkFun XRP Controller",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
         "max_virtual_pin": 64,
     },
     "sparkfun_xrp_controller_beta": {
         "name": "SparkFun XRP Controller (Beta)",
         "mcu": "rp2040",
         "max_pin": 29,
+        "wifi": True,
         "max_virtual_pin": 64,
     },
     "upesy_rp2040_devkit": {
@@ -2161,6 +2170,7 @@ BOARDS = {
         "name": "Waveshare RP2350B Plus W",
         "mcu": "rp2350",
         "max_pin": 47,
+        "wifi": True,
     },
     "wiznet_5100s_evb_pico": {
         "name": "WIZnet W5100S-EVB-Pico",
diff --git a/esphome/components/rp2040/generate_boards.py b/esphome/components/rp2040/generate_boards.py
index 7ea02d185e..8af261396c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/rp2040/generate_boards.py
+++ b/esphome/components/rp2040/generate_boards.py
@@ -78,11 +78,17 @@ def load_boards(arduino_pico_path: Path) -> tuple[dict, dict]:
 
         display_name = f"{vendor} {name}".strip() if vendor else name
 
-        boards[board_name] = {
+        extra_flags = build.get("extra_flags", "")
+        has_wifi = "PICO_CYW43_SUPPORTED=1" in extra_flags
+
+        board_entry: dict = {
             "name": display_name,
             "mcu": mcu,
             "max_pin": MCU_MAX_PIN.get(mcu, DEFAULT_MAX_PIN),
         }
+        if has_wifi:
+            board_entry["wifi"] = True
+        boards[board_name] = board_entry
 
         # Get pins for this variant
         if variant not in variant_pins_cache:
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
index 9f73b1cc6f..33557f03c7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
@@ -235,6 +235,14 @@ def validate_variant(_):
         variant = get_esp32_variant()
         if variant in NO_WIFI_VARIANTS and "esp32_hosted" not in fv.full_config.get():
             raise cv.Invalid(f"WiFi requires component esp32_hosted on {variant}")
+    if CORE.is_rp2040:
+        from esphome.components.rp2040 import board_has_wifi, get_board
+
+        if not board_has_wifi():
+            raise cv.Invalid(
+                f"Board '{get_board()}' does not have WiFi support (no CYW43 wireless chip). "
+                f"Use a WiFi-capable board like 'rpipicow' or 'rpipico2w'."
+            )
 
 
 def _apply_min_auth_mode_default(config):