Founded | 2020 |
---|---|
Country | Wales |
Number of clubs | 16 |
Level on pyramid | 4 |
Promotion to | Ardal Leagues |
Relegation to | Carmarthenshire League Neath & District League Pembrokeshire League Swansea Senior League |
Current champions | Rockspur Fords (2023–24) |
The West Wales Premier League (known for sponsorship reasons as The Macron 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.
Its inaugural season was due run in 2020–21 but was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It instead started in August 2021 with 11 clubs instead of the 12 planned for the 2020–21 season as Ystradgynlais were not part of the fixture list.
Plans for the new league have come about through the Football Association of Wales “2020 vision and strategic plan for Welsh football”. This plan has led to a reorganisation of the Welsh football Pyramid. [1]
The West Wales Premier League sits at tier four of the Welsh Football Pyramid, and was initially set to run with 11 member clubs. The league champions and runners-up of the league be eligible for promotion to the Ardal Leagues in South West Wales, should they secure a tier three certificate. [2]
The new league was formed with clubs invited from the Carmarthenshire League, Neath & District League, Pembrokeshire League and Swansea Senior League. Twelve clubs joined the inaugural season of the league, with four each from the leagues in Carmarthenshire, Neath and Swansea. Currently no clubs from Pembrokeshire have joined the league. [3]
For the 2022–23 season, the league received three applications to join the league. Ynystawe Athletic from the Swansea Senior League and Clydach and Bryn Rovers from the Neath & District League. Each of the clubs needed to meet the Tier 4 ground criteria and finish in the top two of their respective leagues to be promoted., [4] The only one that met these criteria, Clydach joined the league for the 2022–23 season, along with West End, who had been relegated from the Ardal Leagues.
The Welsh football league system is a series of football leagues with regular promotion and relegation between them.
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.
Seven Sisters Onllwyn F.C. is a Welsh football team based in Neath, currently playing in the Ardal SW, which is at the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid.
South Gower F.C. is a football club based in Scurlage in Wales. The club plays in the Ardal SW League.
Abergavenny Town Football Club is a Welsh association football club based in the town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, The team play in the Ardal SE League.
STM Sports Association Football Club was a Welsh football club. They were based in St Mellons, Cardiff and played at Cardiff University Sports fields.
Swansea University Football Club is a Welsh football club, who play in the Ardal SW League. They play at Sketty Lane, Swansea.
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 SW League.
Penlan Association Football Club is an amateur Welsh football team based in Penlan, Swansea, Wales. They play in the West Wales Premier League.
Mumbles Rangers Football Club is an amateur Welsh football team based in Mumbles, Swansea, Wales. They play in the West Wales Premier League.
The 2020–21 Ardal SW season was to be the first season of the new third-tier northern region football in Welsh football pyramid, part of the Ardal Leagues. Teams were to play each other twice on a home and away basis.
The 2020–21 Ardal SE season was to be the first season of the new third-tier southern region football in Welsh football pyramid, part of the Ardal Leagues. Teams were to play each other twice on a home and away basis.
Cefn Cribwr Football Club is a Welsh football team based in Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend County Borough, Wales. They play in the Ardal SW League.
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.
Clwb Pêl Droed Y Rhyl 1879 is a Welsh football club based in Rhyl in Denbighshire, Wales. The team currently play in the Ardal NW League. They are a phoenix club, continuing the legacy of Rhyl FC's following its dissolution in April 2020.
The 2021–22 Ardal SE season was the first season of the new third-tier southern region football in Welsh football pyramid, part of the Ardal Leagues, after the cancellation of the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales.
The 2023–24 Cymru South season was the fourth season of the second-tier Southern region football in Welsh football pyramid.
Clydach Football Club is a Welsh football team based in Clydach, a village and community near Swansea, Wales. They play in the Ardal SW League.
The 2023–24 Ardal SW season was the third season of the new third-tier southern region football in Welsh football pyramid, part of the Ardal Leagues.