Welsh EFL clubs seek FA approval for ‘game changing’ league cup Europe plan

Wales’ four English Football League (EFL) clubs have moved a step closer towards increasing their involvement in the Welsh domestic game.

Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City and Wrexham would have a chance to qualify for European football via a revamped Welsh League Cup if the ‘game changing plan’ goes ahead.

The move now only needs approval from the Football Association to make the project a reality.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has today set out further details of plans to revamp the Welsh League Cup, outlining how it could generate an additional £3million per season to support football at all levels throughout Wales.
The plan, part of the FAW’s broader vision to elevate the profile of the JD Cymru Premier, will present those clubs with greater opportunities to play the highest ranked Welsh clubs competing in the English football pyramid.

Under the new proposal the winner of the revamped Welsh League Cup will go into the qualifying rounds of a UEFA club competition. This will also present opportunities for the Welsh clubs in the English football pyramid to play under the Welsh flag in Europe, measuring themselves against the leading clubs of Europe whilst helping to raise the standards across the whole of the game in Wales.

The proposal has already received the unanimous backing of the JD Cymru Premier clubs.

In addition, the four highest ranked Welsh clubs playing in England – Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City and Wrexham – have given their approval to the revenue sharing model for the new-look competition which is designed to boost the whole of the game in Wales.

There is disparity in the funding of grassroots facilities between Wales and England. Since 2022, the Cymru Football Foundation has received £17million, whilst the English Football Foundation has received £327million to invest into grassroots facilities.

Therefore, new funding streams, such as the revamped League Cup, are needed to improve the game in Wales.

The plan has also been discussed with European football’s governing body UEFA as well as the Secretary of State for Wales and the Welsh Government. It is now subject to a final decision by The Football Association which must approve the participation of clubs playing in English competitions.

FAW Chief Executive Noel Mooney said: “This will be a game-changer for the development of the game as we work to unlock the full potential of Welsh football.

“It will unite Welsh football, improve the game at all levels, and deliver meaningful societal benefits across Wales making our clubs and communities more sustainable.

“It will generate significant additional revenue through a revamped Welsh League Cup competition with expanded participation of the four highest ranked Welsh clubs that participate in the English football pyramid.

“This will be distributed throughout the JD Cymru Premier, Genero Adran Premier and grassroots facilities across the country.

“It also represents the spirit of collaboration and cooperation among football associations across the United Kingdom ahead of the home nations’ joint co-hosting EURO 2028.”

Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City and Wrexham have agreed to exclude any profit derived by representing Wales in UEFA competitions for financial regulations in the English Football League or the English Premier League.

A key objective of the FAW strategic plan – Ein Cymru / Our Wales – is to improve the UEFA European coefficient club ranking.

This reform will increase the chances of better performances in UEFA competitions by a larger group of clubs further increasing the coefficient, creating a virtuous circle of improved performance and funding.

FACTFILE

• The new Welsh League Cup competition will include the 12 clubs in the JD Cymru Premier and the full participation of the four Welsh clubs that currently participate in the English Football League system (Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City, and Wrexham).
• Three of those four clubs already participate in this competition but are not required to meet player experience standards and do not typically play first team players. These four clubs would be required to field a strong team in line with the team strength criteria operated in the EFL Trophy.
• Pending finalisation and necessary approvals, the FAW is intending to begin this format of the Welsh League Cup starting in the 2025-26 season.
• The expansion of the JD Cymru Premier in 2026-27 to 16 clubs will increase the size of the Welsh League Cup to 20 clubs, with the knockout format retained and an additional round added to the beginning of the competition to produce 16 clubs from the second round.
• The FAW will review the impact of Prosiect (Project) Cymru four years after its inception to ensure that it is delivering the intended benefits for key stakeholders, and Welsh football and
  society, with all options on the table if it is not.