PREVIEW: Airbus or Holywell? Which Flintshire giant wins the NEWFA Challenge Cup Final on Saturday?

AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON v HOLYWELL TOWN – 2025-26 NEWFA CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

Saturday, May 16, 2026 – 6 pm kick off at The Hollingsworth Group Stadium, Broughton

Both of Saturday’s NEWFA Challenge Cup finalists have had great seasons and achieved their prime objectives – now the aim will be to crown everything with a big bonus.
Airbus UK Broughton and Holywell Town have already attained their number one target in 2025-26 – finishing in the Cymru North top three to secure Cymru Premier football next term.
The Wingmakers have also gone one better in lifting the national Welsh Blood Service League Cup for the second season in a row.
Saturday’s NEWFA Challenge Cup Final at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium in Broughton will be a repeat of last year’s final – which Airbus won 4-0 to lift the trophy for the first time.
Holywell have also enjoyed recent success in this competition, winning it in 2022-23, the only occasion their name has been on the cup.

So, who holds the edge before the 2025-26 final?

This season, Airbus have had the better of things in the three meetings between the sides, winning 3-0 and drawing 0-0 in the Cymru North and beating the Wellmen 2-0 in the WBS League Cup.
Over the past five seasons, Airbus lead by six wins to three with two draws.
Neither side has been in action since April 28 in their respective semi-finals of the NEWFA Cup – Holywell edging past Tier 4 underdogs FC Queens Park on penalties, while Airbus saw off T4 Penyffordd Lions 3-1.
Airbus have won 21 of their last 22 matches, their only defeat a 3-2 reverse at Denbigh Town on March 20. Holywell’s form has not been as good, but Johnny Haseldin’s warriors have only lost to Cymru North champions Llandudno, Airbus and Brickfield Rangers in their last 12 outings.

Both teams have top quality strikers who could prove key.

Holywell’s Jamie Breese was the Cymru North top-marksman this season with 24 goals, while up front partner Craig Lindfield hit 21.
However, George Peers of Airbus was the league’s second highest hitman with 23 goals, while there are also prolific net-finders Danny Warren and Jake Roberts to consider in Mark Allen’s squad.

It has all the makings of an excellent final between two genuine North East Wales heavyweights.

AIRBUS v HOLYWELL – HEAD TO HEAD

2025-26
Holywell 0 Airbus 3 (Cymru North); Airbus 2 Holywell 0 (WBS League Cup); Airbus 0 Holywell 0 (Cymru North)
2024-25
Holywell 0 Airbus 4 (NEWFA Challenge Cup Final); Holywell 2 Airbus 1 (CN); Airbus 8 Holywell 3 (CN)
2023-24
Holywell 1 Airbus 2 (CN); Airbus 1 Holywell 1 (CN); Airbus 2 Holywell 3 (NEWFA Cup)
2021-22
Holywell 3 Airbus 2 (CN); Airbus 6 Holywell 1 (CN)