Welsh Cup finals 2027 – North Wales snubbed again

Absolutely ridiculous – Rodney Parade in Newport will host the FAW Welsh Cup Final and Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final. for a fourth successive season.

Yet another example of the  Football Association of Wales snubbing the north in favour of keeping the biggest events down south.

Last season two North Wales clubs contested the men’s Welsh Cup Final – winners Caernarfon Town and Flint Town United.

Despite widespread calls to switch the game to the north for the benefit of supporters, the FAW ruled that out, insisting it had a three-year agreement with Newport Dragons to stage the final there. The 2026 showpiece was to be the third of those finals.

So presumably, the venue for 2027 was up for negotiation, but yet again its Rodney Parade and no-one else gets a look in.

Not only is this stadium primarily a rugby ground, but the football team that also plays there – Newport County – refused to support the FAW back in the early 1990s in rejecting joining the new League of Wales and remained playing in the English system, taking the battle to the High Court for the right to do so.

Reward for that disloyalty? Stage our Welsh Cup final four years running ‘because it’s worked well’.

So much for the FAW being there for the good of the whole of Welsh football.

They will point to the U19 EURO 2026 tournament being held in the north this year, which of course was welcome, but the Welsh Cup is our most prestigious national competition and finals should geographically be spread evenly.

Of course the South Wales based FAW councillors will love it – another short journey for their annial freebie.

I guess even Phil Sweet won’t mind too much that Rhydyfelin Non Pol has missed out.

We raised all the same concerns last year, but did have some hope that the north would be in the frame to stage future finals.

The way it is looking, Rodney Parade is becoming Wales’ version of Wembley.

Here is the release put out by the FAW today…..

The Football Association of Wales can confirm that Rodney Parade will host the 2027 FAW Welsh Cup Final and Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final.
It will be the fourth consecutive year that Wales’ two most prestigious cup competitions will culminate in Newport.
The Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final will take place on Sunday 11 April (KO 17:00), before the FAW Welsh Cup Final on Sunday 18 April (KO 14:35). Both finals will be broadcast live on S4C, while ticket details will be confirmed at a later date.
It follows two thrilling occasions at Rodney Parade last season, starting with the FAW Welsh Cup as Caernarfon Town lifted the trophy for the first time in their history by triumphing 3-0 over Flint Town United.
The following weekend in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup, Cardiff City trailed 3-0 against rivals Swansea City but staged a stunning comeback to level the contest at 3-3 before winning on penalties to lift the trophy for the fifth consecutive season.
The journey to Rodney Parade is well under way, with the FAW Welsh Cup at the Round Three stage and the Bute Energy Welsh Cup at Round One.
Jack Sharp, FAW Head of Domestic Leagues, said: “Rodney Parade has established itself as an excellent home for the Welsh Cup Finals in recent years, with each season building on the success of the last.
“It provides the ideal setting for competitions as prestigious as our Welsh Cups. We enjoyed two fantastic finals last season and look forward to returning in April for the conclusion of this year’s competitions.”