Football in Wales
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2010) |
Football in Wales | |
---|---|
Country | Wales |
Governing body | Football Association of Wales |
National team(s) | men's national team |
First played | 1876 |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
Welsh professional club teams traditionally played in the same leagues as their English counterparts, structured into regional divisions. This often resulted in teams from north and south Wales not facing each other as the
Until 2016 the Wales national team rarely qualified for the major international tournaments, with its only appearance in the World Cup occurring in
Dragon Park, the Wales National Football Development Centre, is located in Newport.[7][8][9]
History
The game that would become Association football was first codified in Britain in the mid-19th century, and by the 1860s and 1870s became established in industrial towns in
The Wrexham area was the centre of football in Wales for the first twenty years, with the south of the country preferring to follow the emerging sport of
In May 2012 the FAW, Scottish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland formally declared an interest in co-hosting UEFA Euro 2020.[14]
The two major trophies for Welsh club teams playing in England are the
League system
Cymru Premier
The Cymru Premier, formerly named the League of Wales and the Welsh Premier League, was founded in 1992 as Wales did not have a national league at that time.[15][16] Teams relegated from the Cymru Premier are either relegated to the Cymru North (Northern Wales) or the Cymru South (Southern Wales). Originally the Premier league had 18 teams, but from the 2010–11 season onwards there have been only 12, following a proposal by the clubs in the League.[17]
Second Tier and onwards
Northern Wales
Northern Wales has a league at Tier 2 level—the Cymru North, which has a feeder league structure of its own with two regional leagues feeding it—the Ardal Leagues North East and North West (covering all of the north including Wrexham). Again, the champions or runners-up of these leagues can be promoted given suitable ground facilities.
Below these third tier leagues are even more localised leagues: in Central Wales there are three leagues feeding into the
Southern Wales
In the south, the Tier 2 level league is the Cymru South— which has promotion from the two other Ardal Leagues - South East and South West. This covers the whole of the southern Wales geographical area, and it is not until the fourth tier of the pyramid that local leagues appear. Promotion to, and relegation from the Ardal Leagues is structured, as in the north, on three regional football associations (Gwent FA, South Wales FA, and West Wales FA). Each can send one promoted team into League One.
In the Gwent FA area, there is one senior league, the Gwent County League, whose champions (or runners-up) are eligible, if they satisfy FAW criteria. (Below the three divisions of the Gwent County, there are the Newport and District, East Gwent, Central Gwent and North Gwent leagues)
The South Wales FA area has the South Wales Alliance League — whereby the champions could be promoted to Ardal Leagues subject to meeting criteria. Below these two leagues are local leagues in the towns and cities of South Wales, the champions of which may play off to be promoted into the South Wales Alliance.
The West Wales FA area has its own
Welsh teams in the English leagues
Welsh teams participating below level 4 of the English football league system are governed by the FAW for disciplinary and administrative matters, whereas Welsh teams at level 4 and above of the English football league system are administered by the English FA for the 2011–12 season onwards.[19]
From 1996 to 2011, the FAW only allowed teams in the Welsh league system to enter the Welsh Cup. Prior to 1996, Welsh teams playing in the English league system were invited to participate along with some English teams located near the Welsh border. As this rule excluded the biggest Welsh clubs from the Welsh Cup, the FAW launched the FAW Premier Cup in the 1997–98 season to include the top Welsh Premier League teams and the top Welsh teams in the English league system. The FAW Premier Cup was discontinued after the 2007–08 season. On 20 April 2011, the Football Association of Wales invited the six Welsh clubs playing in the English league system to rejoin the Welsh Cup for the 2011–12 season with Newport County, Wrexham and Merthyr Town accepting.[20] The invitation was not offered for the 2012–13 season.
There are also a number of English-based teams in the Welsh leagues, see List of association football clubs playing in the league of another country.
Cup Competitions
- Welsh Cup – Is the oldest and most prized cup trophy in Wales, the cup is open to teams in the Welsh football league system. Until 1995 any Welsh club playing in the English league were allowed to participate and, by invitation, some English clubs. The winner of the cup is given a UEFA Europa League qualifying place.
- Welsh Premier Leagueclubs.
- FAW Trophy – Is open to Clubs at level 2 of the Welsh football league system
- Welsh Football League Cup – Is only competed by the clubs participating in the three Welsh Football League tiers.
Qualification for European competitions
Competition | Who Qualifies | Notes |
---|---|---|
UEFA Champions League second qualifying round | Champions of Cymru Premier | |
UEFA Europa League first qualifying round | Runner-up of Cymru Premier Winner of UEFA Europa League play-off (3–7 place in league) |
8th place will take place of a domestic cup winner who finishes in 3–7 place |
UEFA Europa League second qualifying round | Winners of Welsh Cup |
Women's football
Female football is thriving in Wales. The women's national football team has yet to qualify for a World Cup or European Championship.
See also
- Football in the United Kingdom
- Women's football in Wales
- Welsh football league system
- Welsh Cup
- Welsh League Cup
- FAW Premier Cup
- South Wales derby
- List of football clubs in Wales
- List of stadiums in Wales by capacity
- List of football matches between British national teams
- List of football matches between British clubs in UEFA competitions
- Wales bucket hat
Bibliography
- Stead, Phil. Red Dragons: The Story of Welsh Football. (ISBN 9781784612368)
- Risoli, Mario. ISBN 1-902719-02-6)
- Burnell, Nick. Trailing Clouds of Glory: Welsh Football's Forgotten Heroes of 1976.
References
- ^ Hannah Verdier. "In Wales the Ball is Round: is football the real national sport? | Television & radio". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "Wales: Football? Rugby? Or can it be both?". BBC News. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "Is football now bigger than rugby in Wales?". The Spectator. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ "Stori Pêl-droed Cymru | S4C". S4c.cymru. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "Wales's biggest European success stories". UEFA. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
- ^ correspondent, Rob Phillips BBC Wales football. "Euro 2016: Will past failures inspire Wales to glory at this summer's championships?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ "Exciting future for Wales as youngsters excel". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ uefa.com. "Member associations - Wales - News – UEFA.com". Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ "Wales open new £5m development centre in Newport". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
- ^ The oldest professional Football Club in Wales
- ^ "The Story of Welsh Football: 1877-1879". wrexham.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
- ^ "The Story of Welsh Football". wrexham.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
- ^ Scotl, John Barnes BBC. "Euro 2020: Ireland, Scotland and Wales eye joint bid as hosts". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- Welsh Premier League. Archived from the originalon 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
- ^ Doyle, Paul (29 June 2015). "Welsh football is in weird and wonderful league of its own but game is on the up - Paul Doyle". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ Daily, WSC. "When Saturday Comes - The struggles facing the Welsh Premier League". Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ISBN 9780670920594. Retrieved 6 July 2016 – via Google Books.
- ^ Scott, Matt (6 May 2011). "Football Association breaks Welsh jurisdiction over Cardiff and Swansea". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ "County's Welsh Cup exile over". South Wales Argus. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2016.