Welsh football league system

Last updated

The Welsh football league system (or pyramid) is a series of football leagues with regular promotion and relegation between them.

Contents

While most Welsh clubs play in the Welsh pyramid and most clubs in that pyramid are Welsh, six Welsh clubs play in England, and four English clubs play in Wales.

Structure of Welsh football

Tier 1: Cymru Premier

At the top is the Cymru Premier, which is the only national league in Wales and is run by the Football Association of Wales.

Tier 2: Cymru North and Cymru South

Since 2019–20, the Football Association of Wales runs the second tier for the first time after a review of the Welsh league pyramid. Tier 2 is split into a north and central Wales league, Cymru North, and a corresponding league for south Wales, Cymru South. The champions of each of these leagues can be promoted to the Cymru Premier, subject to acceptable ground facilities, and if the champions cannot meet the criteria the runner-up team may be considered. [1]

The Cymru North replaced the Cymru Alliance whilst the Cymru South incorporated most of the clubs of the then-highest division of the Welsh Football League.

Tier 3: Ardal Leagues

Since the 2020–21 season, the Football Association of Wales has run the third tier after a review of the Welsh league pyramid. Tier 3, called the Ardal Leagues is split into a Northern and Southern League, with each league divided into two regionally based divisions, giving North East, North West, South East and South West leagues, each consisting of a maximum of 16 clubs. In an attempt to avoid dividing the current Mid-Wales teams across all four leagues, the North-East league contains a large contingent of the Mid-Wales teams. The North-West league contains the sides near the North Wales coast. To be eligible to join the league, clubs need to meet the criteria for FAW tier 3 certification.

The Ardal Leagues structure replaces the former tier 3 leagues: Welsh Football League Division One, Mid Wales Football League Division One, Welsh Alliance League Division 1 and the Welsh National League Premier Division, leagues based in South Wales, Mid Wales, North West Wales and North East Wales respectively.

There are three relegated clubs from each of the tier 3 leagues at the end of each season.

Tier 4: Area leagues

Below this are six local tier 4 leagues, each run by one of the area associations of Welsh football:

The winners of each league are eligible for promotion to the Ardal Leagues subject to meeting FAW tier 3 certification. In the event that winners do not meet the criteria, the runner-up is also eligible for promotion, again subject to meeting the same tier 3 certification requirements.

Lower tier leagues

North Wales

Below the North Wales Coast East and West there are Division One leagues at tier 5 and North East Wales Football League has a championship division, also at tier 5.

Central Wales

In this area there are four leagues at tier 5 - the Ceredigion League, the Montgomeryshire League, the Mid Wales South League as well as the Aberystwyth League. These offer promotion to the tier 4 Mid Wales League East and West divisions.

South Wales

Local leagues are affiliated to Gwent FA, South Wales FA, and West Wales FA respectively, with promotion up the pyramid possible.

In the Gwent Football Association Area, clubs from the Newport and District, East Gwent, Gwent Central and North Gwent leagues have a promotion pathway to Division Two of the Gwent County League (tier 6). Champions (or runners-up) of these leagues are eligible for promotion if they satisfy FAW criteria.

The South Wales Alliance League offers a promotion pathway to leagues affiliated to the South Wales Football Association. Champions of local leagues in the towns and cities of South Wales play off to be promoted into the South Wales Alliance Division Two (tier 6), subject to meeting licensing requirements.

The West Wales FA area has had its own Premier League since its creation in 2020, having previously having been the only FA area to not have one. Promotion to this tier 4 league is possible from the champions of the Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea Senior and Neath & District Leagues, subject to meeting FAW licensing requirements. The top divisions of each of these leagues are at tier 5.

Current system

From the 2023-24 season, the following structure will follow. For each division, its official name and number of clubs is given:

LevelTotal clubs (803 +-)

League(s)/Division(s)

1

12 Cymru Premier
12 clubs

2

32 Cymru North
16 clubs
Cymru South
16 clubs

3

63 Ardal Leagues

North East

15 clubs

Ardal Leagues

North West

16 clubs

Ardal Leagues
South West

16 clubs
Ardal Leagues
South East

16 clubs

4

106 North East Wales Football League
Premier Division
12 clubs
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division
13 clubs
North Wales Coast West League Premier Division
15 clubs
Central Wales Football League North Division
15 clubs
Central Wales Football League South Division
8 clubs
West Wales Premier League
15 clubs
South Wales Alliance League Premier Division
12 clubs
Gwent County League Premier Division
16 clubs

5

143 North East Wales Football League
Championship

13 clubs
North Wales Coast East League Division One
11 clubs
North Wales Coast West League Division One
12 clubs
Montgomeryshire League Division One
15 clubs
Ceredigion League Division One
12 clubs
Aberystwyth League Division One
8 clubs
Pembrokeshire League Division One
12 clubs
Carmarthenshire League Premier Division
11 clubs
Swansea Senior League Premier Division
12 clubs
Neath & District League Premier Division
11 clubs
South Wales Alliance League Championship
11 clubs
Gwent County League Division One
15 clubs

6

92 Ceredigion League Division Two
10 clubs
Pembrokeshire League Division Two
12 clubs
Carmarthenshire League Division One
12 clubs
Swansea Senior League Division Two
11 clubs
Neath & District League Division One
12 clubs
South Wales Alliance League Division One - East
12 clubs
South Wales Alliance League Division One - West
12 clubs
Gwent County League Division Two
11 clubs

7

182 Ceredigion League Division Three
7 clubs
Pembrokeshire League Division Three
12 clubs
Carmarthenshire League Division Two
13 clubs
Neath & District League Division Two
12 clubs
Aberdare Valley League Premier Division
12 clubs
Bridgend & District League Premier Division
10 clubs
Cardiff & District League Premier Division
9 clubs
Cardiff Combination League Premier Division
8 clubs
Merthyr & District League Premier Division
11 clubs
Port Talbot Football League Premier Division
9 clubs
Rhondda & District League Premier Division
8 clubs
Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Premier Division
10 clubs
Vale of Glamorgan League Premier Division
10 clubs
North Gwent League Premier Division
12 clubs
Gwent Central League Division One
10 clubs
Newport and District League Premier X Division
9 clubs
Newport and District League Premier Y Division
9 clubs
East Gwent League Division One
8 clubs

8

113 Pembrokeshire League Division Four
12 clubs
Neath & District League Division Three
13 clubs
Bridgend & District League Division One
11 clubs
Cardiff & District League Division One
10 clubs
Cardiff Combination League Division One
9 clubs
Rhondda & District League Division One
8 clubs
Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Division One
9 clubs
Vale of Glamorgan League Division One
14 clubs
Gwent Central League Division Two
9 clubs
Newport and District League Division One
10 clubs
East Gwent League Division Two
8 clubs

9

52 Pembrokeshire League Division Five
12 clubs
Bridgend & District League Division Two
11 clubs
Cardiff & District League Division Two
10 clubs
Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Division Two
9 clubs
Newport and District League Division Two
10 clubs

10

8 Cardiff & District League Division Three
8 clubs

See also

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mold Alexandra F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Mold Alexandra Football Club is a football club based in Mold in Wales. The club was founded in 1929 and played in local amateur leagues before joining the Welsh National League after the Second World War. The team enjoyed success in the 1980s and became a founder member of the League of Wales in 1992. The side were relegated from the division in 1995 and had dropped several tiers by the end of the decade. They now play in the Cymru North which is in the second tier of the Welsh football league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football in Wales</span> Overview of association football practiced in Wales

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denbigh Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Denbigh Town Football Club, founded in 1880, is a semi-professional football club based in Denbigh, North Wales. They play in the Cymru North, which is in the second tier of the Welsh football league system. The club plays home matches at Central Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tredegar Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Tredegar Town Football Club are a football club based in Tredegar, in Wales. The club plays in the Ardal Leagues South East, the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhydymwyn F.C.</span> Association Football Club in Wales

Rhydymwyn F.C. is a football club from Rhydymwyn, Wales. They play in the North East Wales Football League in the tier five Championship Division. Their home ground is Dolfechlas Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Undy A.F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Undy Athletic Football Club is a Welsh association football club based in the village of Undy, Monmouthshire. The club's senior men's team plays in the Ardal South East league, the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid. The club's senior women's team play in the South Wales Women & Girls League Division 2. In addition, there are 2 other men's teams, a youth team and a large junior section playing mixed and girls' football. The club has been a chartered provider of the FAW's Huddle programme since its inception, and provides disability football sessions to the local community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abergavenny Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Abergavenny Town Football Club is a Welsh association football club based in the town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, The team play in the Cymru South, tier 2 of the Welsh football pyramid. They play at Pen-Y-Pound Stadium in Abergavenny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lliswerry A.F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Lliswerry Association Football Club is an association football club based in the Lliswerry area of the city of Newport, South Wales. They currently play in the Ardal South East league, the third tier of the Welsh pyramid system. They have in the past played in the Welsh Football League, the previous tier three league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swansea University F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Swansea University Football Club is a Welsh football club, who play in the Ardal Leagues South West, which is the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid. They play at Sketty Lane, Swansea.

The Cymru Leagues is an umbrella name for the top two tiers of the Welsh football league system. It consists of the Cymru Premier at Tier 1, as well as the Cymru North and Cymru South at the second tier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ardal Leagues</span> Association football league in Wales

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ynyshir Albions F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trethomas Bluebirds A.F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Trethomas Bluebirds A.F.C. are a Welsh football team based in the village Trethomas in the Caerphilly County Borough. The club plays in the Ardal Leagues South East, the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid.

The 2019–20 Cymru North was the inaugural season of the Cymru North, which is in the second level of the Welsh football pyramid. The season had been scheduled to finish on 25 April but due to the COVID-19 pandemic no games were played after 7 March. In May 2020 the Cymru North was officially ended after consultation between the Football Association of Wales and the clubs. Prestatyn Town were confirmed as champions but because they failed to gain a Tier 1 licence, runners-up Flint Town United were promoted to the Cymru Premier. Porthmadog, Corwen and Llanfair United were relegated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brecon Corinthians F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Brecon Corinthians A.F.C. are a Welsh football club from the town of Brecon in Powys. The club played for much of its history in the Welsh Football League, as well as spells in league in South and Mid Wales. They currently play in the Ardal SE, the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid, having secured two successive promotions within the Mid Wales football leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaenavon Blues A.F.C.</span> Association football club in Wales

Blaenavon Blues A.F.C. are a Welsh football club from the town of Blaenavon, Monmouthshire in south eastern Wales. Formed in 1947, they have played in the Welsh Football League. They currently play in the Ardal SE, the third tier of the Welsh football pyramid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Wales Premier League</span> Association football league in Wales

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.

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.

References

  1. Llyr, Owain (19 February 2018). "Welsh football: Leagues restructure confirmed by FAW". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.