We’ve been misled: NWCFA finals will be held at NEUTRAL venues

Penmaenmawr Phoenix are into the final of the NWCFA Intermediate Cup

This season’s NWCFA intermediate Cup, Junior Challenge Cup and Women’s Challenge Cup finals will definitely take place at NEUTRAL venues.

Last night, the North Wales Coast FA conducted a series of draws live on Facebook where they stated the first teams drawn for the Intermediate and Junior cups would have home advantage for the finals.

This would represent a radical change in tradition, but Grassroots North Wales published the announcements in good faith.

However, it has been confirmed today that no teams will have home advantage in any of the aforementioned finals.

The teams drawn first last night will, in fact, use the home dressing room at the neutral ground where the final takes place.

Booking venues for cup finals this season is proving more difficult than usual in North Wales with many grounds set to undergo significant work for the staging of the 2026 UEFA U19 Championship in Cymru.

Wales was awarded the U19 Championship by UEFA in September 2023 and the finals tournament will be used to celebrate the FAW’s 150th anniversary. Eight teams will compete at the finals with seven teams having progressed through two qualifying rounds to join Cymru as the hosts.

The FAW is investing £3m into facilities for the tournament that will take place between June and July 2026.

The following venues have been identified across North Wales:

Stadium Venues:

Bangor City Stadium
Central Park, Denbigh
The Oval, Caernarfon
STōK Cae Ras, Wrexham

Training Venues:

Llanelian Road, Colwyn Bay
Colliers Park, Gresford
The Globe, Buckley
Memorial Playing Fields, Ruthin
Hops and Barley Community Stadium, Rhyl
The New Oval, Holyhead
Cae Sling, Penmaenmawr

Therefore, availability of grounds to stage North Wales domestic cup finals is not as wide as usual at the end of this season.

The NWCFA is believed to be still awaiting confirmation on some grounds being available to stage finals, but no doubt will announce venues when it is able.

As for the North Wales Coast Women’s Challenge Cup, currently at the semis stage, that final will also be held at a neutral venue.