Embarrassment in Europe leaves Welsh domestic football in the doldrums

The collective failure of Cymru Premier sides in European competitions this season has left Welsh domestic football again little short of a laughing stock on the continent.

A whitewash of losses involving our top-flight teams this summer mean the league will remain with only three qualification places for the 2028-29 campaign.

Wales’ national league already knew its spots would be reduced from the current four places to three next season based on previous results.

Now following just one win in 10 attempts across Uefa Champions League and Conference League qualification fixtures in July, the Cymru Premier’s ranking remains one of the lowest in Europe.

Cymru Premier results in Europe 2026-27

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
First qualifying round
Sabah (Azerbaijan) 4-1 The New Saints (2-0; 2-1)

UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Second qualifying round
Flora Tallinn (Estonia) 1-1 (4-2 pens) The New Saints (1-0; 0-1 aet)
First qualifying round
Caernarfon Town 0-10 FCI Levadia (Estonia) (0-5; 0-5)
Connah’s Quay Nomads 2-3 Balikani (Kosovo) (0-0; 2-3)
Penybont 0-4 FC Santa Coloma (Andorra) (0-1; 0-3)

PLAYED 10
WON 1
DRAWN 1
LOST 8
GOALS FOR 4
GOALS AGAINST 22

Wales are currently ranked 54th out of 55 nations in Uefa’s coefficient table, used to determine the number of European places given to each national league.

Only San Marino, another association without a professional national league, are below Wales.

Three rather than four places are awarded to nations ranked 51-55.

Rankings at the end of the 2026-27 season are used to determine the places given for the 2028-29 season.

Confirmation of Wales’ allocation for the 2028-29 season came after The New Saints were knocked out of the Conference League on Thursday.

TNS, who have won the title in 13 out of the past 15 seasons, lost on penalties in the second qualifying round to Estonian side Flora Tallinn.

Caernarfon, Penybont and Connah’s Quay Nomads had already lost in the first qualifying round of the Conference League.

Of the three, only Connah’s Quay Nomads managed to score a goal over the two-legged ties against teams from Estonia, Andorra and Kosovo.

TNS had dropped into Conference League qualification after losing 4-1 to Sabah of Azerbaijan over two legs in the Champions League.

This is the second successive season that the Oswestry-based side, the Cymru Premier’s only professional outfit, have lost both their opening Champions League and Conference League ties.

Two years ago, TNS qualified for the Conference League group stage following failures in the Champions League and Europa League, so there is hope for the future if that form can be rediscovered.

Now, on the eve of the new-look 16-team Cymru Premier kicking off this weekend, our clubs will be keen to move on quickly from its European embarrassment.