Founded | 1992 |
---|---|
Number of teams | 46 |
Current champions | The New Saints (10th title) |
Most successful club(s) | The New Saints (10 titles) |
2024–25 Welsh League Cup |
The Cymru League Cup, currently known as the Nathaniel MG Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a cup competition in Welsh football organised by the Football Association of Wales.
The competition was established in 1992 and is considered to be the second-most important domestic cup competition for Welsh football clubs, after the older and more prestigious Welsh Cup. Unlike the Welsh Cup, where 135 teams entered in 2008–09, the competition is only open to the members of the Cymru Premier, the Cymru North, Cymru South and a very select few other clubs. It should not be confused with the Welsh Football League Cup, which was for the clubs in the Welsh Football League, which despite its name only covered the south and centre of Wales up until it was disbanded at the end of the 2018-19 season. For the 2023-24 season Cardiff City and Swansea City U21 sides are 'wildcard' entries into the competition.
Since the inaugural season in 1992/93 the format of the competition has changed many times. The 2006/07 season saw the introduction of a new format for the competition. [1] Beginning in August, the eighteen premier league teams are split into six regionalised groups of three teams. The six group winners and two runners-up enter a quarter-final knock-out phase, followed by a two legged semi-final match before ending with the final in April.
The current format, introduced in 2014/15, saw a radical shake up for the competition. The 12 Cymru Premier teams are joined by six teams each from the two feeder leagues, and also four wildcard entrants. 24 teams enter Round 1, with the previous season's four semi-finalists receiving a bye through to Round 2. The draw for each round is regionalized as per competition rules, with teams being divided between northern and southern sections. The format changed slightly for the 2018/19 season, with each round up to the semi-finals being regionalized, and the semis an open draw. The semi-finals will also take place over a weekend for the first time.
From 2019-20 the format was expanded significantly with all 44 teams from the top two tiers of the Welsh football league system taking part as well as two wildcard entries. Twenty-eight clubs will enter in Round 1, which will be made up of any club without floodlights; the two wildcard entries; and the remaining teams ranked lowest in their respective Tier 2 league from the previous season. Round 1 will be regionalised, as will all rounds up to the Semi-Final stage. The fourteen winners will join the eighteen remaining sides in Round 2. This will be seeded so that Premier League sides are not drawn against one another. The winner of the tournament gained entry to the Scottish Challenge Cup. [2]
The first Welsh League Cup was won by Afan Lido in 1992/93, who beat Caersws FC 4–3 on penalties, after drawing in the final 1–1. [3] The New Saints hold the record for the most League Cup titles; they have won the competition six times. Bangor City hold the distinction of making the most number of appearances in the final and losing on every occasion (6).
The cup is currently held by Connah's Quay Nomads, who defeated Cardiff Met 10-9 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
The New Saints dominated the competition between 2015 and 2018, winning all four finals during that period. Saints have won nine of the ten finals they have appeared in. They have however not made the final since beating Cardiff Met in 2018.
The 2018–19 final between Cardiff Met and Cambrian & Clydach Vale holds the record attendance in the competition, with 1,503 fans witnessing Met's first major trophy win.
Since 2003, the League Cup has been named after its sponsor, giving it the following name:
In 2024, a proposal was put forward to allow the (at that time) four Welsh clubs playing in the English Football League – Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham and Newport County – entry into the Welsh League Cup, with a view to them being permitted to represent Wales in European football. Until 1995, Welsh clubs playing in the English football league system took part in the Welsh Cup, which granted the winner a place in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. However, they were excluded from 1996, with UEFA stating in 2012 that any such club playing outside the Welsh football league system would no longer be permitted to represent Wales in European football, with the only routes to qualification were via English competitions. It was through this route that Swansea City played in the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, having won the previous season's Football League Cup. The proposal submitted by the four clubs would see the Welsh League Cup be granted a place in the UEFA Conference League, with the four EFL clubs entering their first teams in the competition. While this would not impact their places in the English leagues, it would mean that they were no longer able to qualify for Europe via any English competition. [4]
The total prize fund for the competition is £15,000. The league awards £1,000 to each losing semi-finalist, £3,000 to the runner-up and £10,000 to the competition winners. [1]
Club | Winners | Runners-up | Total Appearance | Last Final |
---|---|---|---|---|
The New Saints | 10 | 1 | 11 | 2024 |
Barry Town | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2017 |
Caersws | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2007 |
Carmarthen Town | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2014 |
Connah's Quay Nomads | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2023 |
Afan Lido | 3 | – | 3 | 2012 |
Rhyl | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2010 |
Cardiff MU | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2022 |
Bala Town | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2023 |
Llanelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2011 |
Bangor City | – | 6 | 6 | 2009 |
Caernarfon Town | – | 1 | 1 | 1999 |
Cambrian & Clydach Vale | – | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
Cwmbran Town | – | 1 | 1 | 2002 |
Denbigh Town | – | 1 | 1 | 2016 |
Ebbw Vale | – | 1 | 1 | 1996 |
Newtown | – | 1 | 1 | 2012 |
Port Talbot Town | – | 1 | 1 | 2006 |
STM Sports | – | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
Swansea City U21s | – | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
Ton Pentre | – | 1 | 1 | 1995 |
Notes:
The Cymru Premier, known as the JD Cymru Premier for sponsorship reasons, is the national football league of Wales. It has both professional and semi-professional status clubs and is at the top of the Welsh football league system. Prior to 2002, the league was known as the League of Wales (LoW), but changed its name as part of a sponsorship deal to the Welsh Premier League. The league was rebranded as the Cymru Premier for the 2019–20 season.
The New Saints of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club, commonly known as The New Saints or TNS FC, are a Welsh professional football club that play in the Cymru Premier. They are the most successful club in the Welsh league structure, with 16 league titles to their name. Since the 2001–02 season, they have finished as champions or runners-up in every season, apart from 2008–09, where they finished third in the league. They became the first side playing in the Welsh league system to qualify for the group stage of any European competition after reaching the group stage of the UEFA Conference League for the first time in the 2024–25 season.
Connah's Quay Nomads Football Club is a Welsh professional football club based in Connah's Quay, Flintshire. They play in the Cymru Premier.
Haverfordwest County Association Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football team based in Haverfordwest, Wales. They currently play in the Cymru Premier.
The FAW Welsh Cup, currently known as the JD Welsh Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams in the Welsh football league system. It is considered the most prestigious of the cup competitions in domestic Welsh association football.
Swansea City Association Football Club is a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. It competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their home matches at the Swansea.com Stadium since 2005, having previously played at the Vetch Field since the club was founded.
The FAW Premier Cup was a Welsh football cup competition, organised annually by the Football Association of Wales from 1997 to 2008. Since the FAW excluded clubs playing in English leagues from playing in the Welsh Cup from 1996 onwards, the FAW needed another competition where the best Welsh teams could compete.
Association football is one of the most popular sports in Wales, along with rugby union. Wales has produced club teams of varying fortunes since the early birth of football during the Victorian period, and in 1876 a Wales national football team played their first international match. Football has always had a close rivalry with the country's de facto national sport rugby union, and it is much discussed as to which is Wales' more popular game. The Football Association of Wales (FAW), was established in 1876 to oversee the Wales national team and govern the sport in Wales, later creating and running the Welsh football league system.
Swansea City Ladies Football Club is a women's football club based in Swansea, Wales, currently playing in the Adran Premier, the top level of female competition in Wales.
The Adran Premier, currently known for sponsorship reasons as Genero Adran Premier, is the highest level of league competition for women's football in Wales. Established in 2009, it is organized by the Football Association of Wales and features four semi-professional teams. As of 2024, the league is ranked 48th overall by the UEFA Women's association club coefficients.
The 2016–17 Welsh League Cup was the 25th season of the Welsh Premier League's cup competition, which was established in 1992.
The 2017–18 Welsh League Cup was the 26th season of the Welsh Premier League's cup competition, which was established in 1992.
The 2018–19 Welsh League Cup was the 27th season of the Welsh League cup competition, which was established in 1992.
The 2019–20 Welsh League Cup was the 28th season of the Welsh League cup competition, which was established in 1992.
The 2019–20 Welsh Premier League was the eleventh season of the Women's Welsh Premier League, the top level women's football league in Wales. The season began on 8 September 2019 and was suspended indefinitely in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020–21 Welsh League Cup was the 29th season of the Welsh League cup competition, which was established in 1992. The reigning champions were Connah's Quay Nomads. The competition was suspended in December 2020, before being cancelled in March 2021.
The 2021–22 Welsh League Cup was the 30th season of the Welsh League cup competition, which was established in 1992. The reigning champions were Connah's Quay Nomads.
The 2022–23 Welsh League Cup was the 31st season of the Welsh League cup competition, which was established in 1992. The reigning champions were Connah's Quay Nomads.
The 2023–24 Welsh League Cup is the 32nd season of the Welsh League cup competition, which was established in 1992. The reigning champions were Bala Town.
The 2024–25 Welsh League Cup is the 33rd season of the Welsh League Cup competition, which was established in 1992. The reigning champions were The New Saints.