Founded | 2015 |
---|---|
Country | Wales |
Divisions | 34 |
Number of teams | 47 |
Level on pyramid | 4–6 |
Promotion to | Ardal Leagues |
Relegation to | Aberdare Valley League Bridgend & District League Cardiff & District League Cardiff Combination League Port Talbot League Rhondda & District League Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley League Vale of Glamorgan League |
Current champions | Cardiff Corinthians (2022-23) |
Website | South Wales Alliance League |
The South Wales Alliance League is a football league structure in South Wales, currently known for sponsorship reasons as The Highadmit Projects South Wales Alliance League. [1] The top tier of the league, the Premier Division is at the fourth tier of the Welsh Football Pyramid and offers promotion opportunities to the tier 3 Football Association of Wales administered Ardal Leagues. The league is run by the South Wales Football Association.
The league was formed in 2015 by a merger of the South Wales Senior League and the South Wales Amateur League. [2]
In April 2022, the league, after discussions with the South Wales Football Association, announced planned changes to the league structure from the 2023–24 season. The current set up of three divisions of sixteen clubs will move to four divisions of twelve with a Premier Division, Division One and two regionalised Division Twos. [3] As a result of this at the end of the 2022–23 season, teams finishing in 11th to 16th places in the Premier Division were relegated to Division One (renamed as the 'Championship Division').
The following clubs will compete. [4] [5]
Season | Premier Division | Division One | Division Two |
---|---|---|---|
2015–16 | Trefelin BGC | Canton Liberal | Ynyshir Albions |
2016–17 | Pontyclun | Cardiff Draconians | Garw SBGC |
2017–18 | Penydarren BGC | Cefn Cribwr | Blaenrhondda |
2018–19 | Ynyshir Albions [6] | Porthcawl Town Athletic | Llanrumney United |
2019–20 | Pencoed Athletic [7] | Aber Valley | Maesteg Park |
2020–21 | No competition | ||
2021–22 | Baglan Dragons | Cardiff Airport | Treherbert BGC |
2022–23 | Cardiff Corinthians | Caerphilly Athletic | Llantwit Fardre |
The Welsh Football League Division One, known as the Nathanielcars.co.uk Welsh League First Division for sponsorship reasons, was a football league in South Wales. It formed the top division of the Welsh Football League and the second level of the Welsh football league system until the 2019–20 season when it was replaced by the Cymru South. From the 2019–20 season it operated at the third level of the Welsh football league system.
The Welsh Football League Division Three, was a football league.
The Gwent County League is a football league in South Wales, consisting of 3 divisions, named the Premier Division, Division One and Division Two. The Premier Division is a feeder to the Ardal Leagues, and therefore sits at tier 4 of the Welsh football pyramid.
Maesteg Park Athletic Football Club is a Welsh football club based in Maesteg, Wales. The club played in the Welsh Football League and the top flight League of Wales before being dissolved. The club reformed in 2010 and now compete in South Wales Alliance League Division One West, having won promotion from the Bridgend & District League via the South Wales Alliance League promotion play-offs in June 2019, and the Division Two title in the summer of 2020.
The South Wales Amateur League was a former football league in South Wales. The league consisted of two divisions, named Divisions One and Two. Division One was a feeder to the Welsh Football League Division Three, and sat at level 5 of the Welsh football pyramid.
Caerau Football Club are a Welsh football club from Maesteg. They currently play in the Bridgend & District League Premier Division. They formerly played in the Welsh Football League.
Penybont Football Club is a Welsh football club that plays in the Cymru Premier. The current club was formed in 2013, following the merger of Bridgend Town and Bryntirion Athletic. Penybont play their home games at Bryntirion Park.
Trefelin Boys & Girls Club, often shortened to Trefelin BGC, is an association football club who play their home games at Ynys park in Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot, Wales. Their men's team play in the Cymru South.
STM Sports Association Football Club was a Welsh football club. They were based in St Mellons, Cardiff and played at Cardiff University Sports fields.
The Ardal Leagues are a football league in Wales. The word "ardal" translates as "district" in English, with Wales split into four regions at this level. They have clubs with amateur/semi-professional status and sit at the third level of the Welsh football league system. The first year of their operation would have been 2020–21 but the 2020–21 Ardal North East season, 2020–21 Ardal North West season, 2020–21 Ardal South East season and 2020–21 Ardal South West season were all cancelled. The inaugural season was moved to 2021–22. The creation of the leagues mark the first time the Football Association of Wales owns and is administering tier 3 of the Welsh league system. These changes follow from a review of the Welsh football pyramid. To be eligible clubs need to meet the criteria for FAW tier 3 certification.
Ynyshir Albions F.C. are a Welsh football team based in the village Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valley. The club plays in the Ardal Leagues South West, which is the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid.
Blaenrhondda Association Football Club was an association football club based in the village of Blaenrhondda in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The club last played in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division, part of the Welsh football league system in South Wales but folded in July 2022.
The Cardiff & District League is a football league covering the city of Cardiff and surrounding areas in South Wales. The leagues are at the seventh to tenth levels of the Welsh football league system.
The Rhondda & District League is a football league covering the Rhondda and surrounding areas in South Wales. The leagues are at the seventh and eighth levels of the Welsh football league system.
The West Wales Premier League is a football league in Wales, at tier 4 of the Welsh Football Pyramid in South West Wales under the control of the West Wales Football Association. The league consists of teams having their grounds and headquarters West of a line drawn from Briton Ferry, Neath, northwards to Glynneath, and then again northwards to the boundary line of the South Wales Football Association. It offers promotion opportunities to the Ardal Leagues, at tier 3 of the Football Association of Wales pyramid.
Cardiff Draconians Football Club is a Welsh football team based in Gabalfa, Cardiff, Wales. They play in the Ardal Leagues South West which is in the third tier of the Welsh football league system.
Pencoed Athletic BGC is a Welsh football team based in Pencoed, Wales. They play in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division which is in the fourth tier of the Welsh football league system. They are the current champions of the league and were eligible for promotion to the Ardal Leagues but were not granted tier 3 Football Association of Wales certification despite appealing the decision.
Llanrumney United Football Club is a Welsh football team based in Llanrumney, Cardiff, Wales. They play in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division, which is in the fourth tier of the Welsh football league system, having secured two promotions in two seasons.
Aber Valley Football Club is a Welsh football team based in Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Wales. They play in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division, which is in the fourth tier of the Welsh football league system. They were champions of Division One for the 2019–20 season.
The 2021–22 Cymru South season was the third season of the second-tier Southern region football in Welsh football pyramid. Teams will play each other twice on a home and away basis.