Change of format for Welsh Blood Service League Cup in 2025-26

Regional finals will be removed from the 2025-26 Welsh Blood Service League Cup and the competition will become open draw at the last four stage.

The FAW National Leagues Board has agreed to the format change following feedback from tier two clubs. 

The competition will continue to be regionalised in the first three rounds, until there are four clubs remaining. At this point, the competition will become an open draw – with North v South matchups possible. 

The four remaining clubs will compete in the ‘Semi-Finals’ instead of the previous format’s ‘Regional Finals’. These Semi-Finals will be played at the ground of the club drawn as the home team. 

The competition will therefore only have one ‘Final’, with one trophy on offer, played at a neutral venue. 

This restructure aims to increase the diversity of the fixture schedule for tier two clubs, while ensuring that the competition continues to offer a competitive programme. The removal of Regional Finals aims to add more prestige to the new standalone Final. 

The financial savings that the FAW makes from no longer running the Regional Finals will be re-distributed to clubs in the form of prize money. 

2025/26 Welsh Blood Service League Cup Round Dates

Round One: 29-31 August 2025
Round Two: 16-18 January 2026
Quarter-Finals: 6-8 February 2026
Semi-Finals: 6 April 2026
Final: 24-26 April 2026