FAW mess up women’s Welsh Cup draw – again!

Doh! The FAW have done it again! 

Last season, they included a ‘phantom club’ Prestatyn Town in the opening round draw for the Bute Energy Women’s Welsh Cup even though such a team did not exist.

This week, I spotted on the FAW website they had included Gwalchmai and Llandyrnog United in the pot for the first qualifying round 2026-27 draw for the same cup.

I contacted the FAW yesterday to warn them two such teams do not exist. They acknowledged the email, yet obviously did not check with the clubs concerned and both featured in tonight’s women’s draw.

I’ve contacted both Gwalchmai and Llandyrnog United tonight to query whether they have a women’s team and both confirmed they do not.

Therefore, either through complete arrogance thinking they could never be wrong, or sheer complacency, the FAW have not just repeated last season’s mistake – they have doubled it.

Even if Gwalchmai and Llandyrnog had been in touch with the FAW to confirm they have not entered, the Hensol crew have gone ahead with the draw regardless, including both.

This again makes a mockery of the way women’s football is run in Wales.

This week, they announced seedings were abandoned for the Adran Trophy knockout phase this season – a good thing – but now this….

This is the organisation which does not automatically reward its women’s tier 2 champions with promotion, but instead makes them play off against other regional champions for the right to go up.

It isn’t just Grassroots North Wales that complains about this nonsensical rule, so do many clubs and organisations. 

Anyhow, we can expect Berriew and Wrexham Foresters, who drew Gwalchmai and Llandyrnog respectively in tonight’s draw, to receive a bye into the next round.

For the record…..here is the tonight’s northern section draw

BUTE ENERGY WELSH CUP QUALIFYING ROUND 1

Ties to be played September 19-20

Bangor City 1876 Women v Llangefni Town

Buckley Town v Llandudno

Caernarfon Town v Prestatyn Sports

Denbigh Town v NFA

Gwalchmai v Berriew * Gwalchmai do not have a women’s team

Hawarden Park v Amlwch Town

CPD Pwllheli v Kinmel Bay

Towyn v Airbus UK Broughton

Wrexham Foresters v Llandyrnog United * Llandyrnog United do not have a women’s team

CPDM Y Felinheli v Guilsfield

Byes into qualifying round two: Connah’s Quay Nomads, Flint Town United, Llanfair United