All hail the Cofis! Caernarfon Town Development make history by winning FAW Youth Cup!

FAW YOUTH CUP FINAL 2025-26

Caernarfon Town Development 3 (O Ellis 17, Griffith 57, O Roberts 75)
The New Saints Development 2 (O Mirceta-Jones 3, 36)

History was made as Caernarfon Town became only the second North Wales team to lift the FAW Youth Cup with a tremendous 3-2 win over The New Saints in this afternoon’s final at Llandudno.

Beaten finalists last year, Darren Mawson’s Cofis went one better at Go Goodwins Stadium, recovering from 2-1 down at half time to complete a famous win in the second period.

This achievement is undoubtedly a massive tribute to the youth system at Caernarfon Town Football Club, whose senior side will go for a famous double next weekend when they meet Flint Town United in the 2025-26 JD Welsh Cup final.

Just seven days after Wrexham AFC Women became the first North Wales team to win the national Adran Premier title, Caernarfon Town’s youngsters secured another amazing milestone for the region.

The New Saints, who had beaten Caernarfon 3-0 in an FAW National Academi North Development League fixture just a fortnight earlier, made a strong start to Sunday’s final, grabbing a third-minute lead through Oliver Mirceta-Jones.

However, Town hit back in the 17th minute when first team squad regular Osian Ellis found the net with a cracking free kick..

Mirceta-Jones was proving hard to handle, though, and with 36 on the clock he made it 2-1, benefiting from a second assist from captain Alfie Webb.

Half-time 2-1 to the Saints and plenty to do for the Canaries.

While TNS had Mirceta-Jones, Caernarfon possessed the competition’s leading scorer in Charlie Griffith, and the 18-year-old made it 2-2 after 57 minutes with his ninth goal in five tournament ties, Iwan Jones with the assist.

Anyone for a winner? Yes please said the Caernarfon fans and Owen Roberts obliged qith a 75th minute strike to edge Town in front for the first time.

Still there was work to do for the Cofis, and captain Caron Williams produced a tremendous clearance late on to deny the opposition an equaliser.

Mayhem and scenes greeted the final whistle as Caernarfon Town’s under-18s lifted the national trophy for the first time ever.

What a day for North Wales football!

CAERNARFON TOWN’S HEROES

Hari Thomas
Caron Williams (c)
Osian Ellis
Charlie Griffith
Guto Parry (Osian Thomas 57)
Owen Roberts
Harri Wyn (Harry Chapman 90)
Gwion Parry (Joseff Humphreys 67)
Deian Andrews
Jack Jones (Michael Horn 67)
Iwan Jones

UNUSED SUBS: Jack Williams (GK), Monti Ellis, Caio Jones

FAW YOUTH CUP LIST OF WINNERS

1990 Cardiff City 5–0 Swansea City
1991 Wrexham 1–0 Swansea City
1992 Wrexham 2–1 Cardiff City
1993 Hereford United 4–2 Wrexham
1994 Wrexham 4–1 Swansea City
1995 Cardiff City 1–0 Wrexham
1996 Wrexham 3–2 Swansea City AET
1997 Pontardawe Athletic 1–0 Wrexham
1998 Cardiff City 5–0 Llanelli
1999 Swansea City 3–0 Caernarfon Youth Club
2000 Cardiff City 2–0 Llanelli
2001 Cardiff City 3–1 Taff’s Well AET
2002 Cardiff City 3–2 Llanelli
2003 Swansea City 4–1 Llanelli
2004 Cardiff City 4–1 Swansea City
2005 Newport County 2–2 Cardiff City Newport win 3–2 on pens
2006 Cardiff City 5–2 Aberystwyth Town
2007 Merthyr Tydfil 2–1 Cardiff College Celts
2008 Swansea City 1–0 Cardiff City
2009 Llanelli 2–1 Swansea City
2010 Swansea City 2–1 Wrexham
2011 Swansea City 5–0 West End
2012 Swansea City 2–1 The New Saints
2013 Swansea City 7–4 West End
2014 Swansea City 6–1 The New Saints
2015 Swansea City 3–1 Cardiff City
2016 Swansea City 5–0 Connah’s Quay Nomads
2017 Swansea City 2–0 Cambrian & Clydach AET
2018 Swansea City 2–1 Cardiff City Swansea win 3–2 on pens
2019 Swansea City 2–1 The New Saints
2022 The New Saints 1–0 Flint Town United
2023 The New Saints 5–2 Penybont
2024 Briton Ferry Llansawel 6–2 Barry Town United
2025 Haverfordwest County 2–1 Caernarfon Town
2026 Caernarfon Town 3-2 The New Saints

WINNERS TABLE

Swansea City 13
Cardiff City 8
Wrexham 4
The New Saints 2
Caernarfon Town, Llanelli, Briton Ferry Llansawel, Haverfordwest County, Hereford United, Newport County, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontardawe Athletic 1 each