Plans have been revealed for a revamped Welsh League Cup which could see Wrexham fight their way into Europe, if the competition receives approval from the English Football Association (FA).
The plans were announced by the Football Association of Wales (FAW), which hopes the revived competition will bring a £3 million ($3.6 million) windfall to the club game, while also offering the winner of competition a path to qualifying. rounds of a UEFA club competition.
The proposal would see Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County and Wrexham compete in a 16-team Welsh League Cup alongside the 12 JD Cymru Premier clubs, a league which will be expanded to 16 teams in 2026-27.
A source told ESPN that Wrexham supported the plans as long as they received approval from the FA and that participating in the tournament did not impact their participation in the English Football League (EFL).
The FA is discussing the proposed competition with stakeholders, a source told ESPN. If the plans are approved, the competition will begin next season.
“This will be a game changer for the development of the game as we work to unlock the full potential of Welsh football,” said Noel Mooney, chief executive of the FAW. “This will unify Welsh football, improve the game at all levels and deliver significant societal benefits across Wales, making our clubs and communities more sustainable.
“This will generate significant additional revenue through a revamped Welsh League Cup competition with expanded participation from the four highest-ranked Welsh clubs competing in the English football pyramid.
“This will be distributed across the JD Cymru Premier, Genero Adran Premier (Wales’ top women’s league) and grassroots facilities across the country.
“It also represents the spirit of collaboration and co-operation between the UK’s football associations as we approach the home countries’ joint hosting of Euro 2028.”
This competition is a cornerstone of the FAW’s Prosiect (Project) Cymru, as they seek to improve their UEFA coefficient and therefore receive a greater share of UEFA’s financial distributions.
Welsh clubs have agreed that any profits generated from the competition will not contribute to or impact the financial regulations of the EFL or Premier League.
The plan has also been discussed with UEFA, European football’s governing body, as well as the Secretary of State for Wales and the Welsh Government, but is dependent on approval from the FA.
The next step for Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham is to consult their respective supporters groups.
