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Welsh football league system

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

It consists of four main tiers, as well as lower local leagues.

While most Welsh clubs play in the Welsh pyramid and most clubs in that pyramid are Welsh, five Welsh clubs play in English leagues, and four English clubs play in Welsh leagues.

Structure of Welsh football

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Tier 1: Cymru Premier

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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

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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

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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

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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

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North Wales

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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

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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

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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 (until 2025-26)

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

Level Total 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 West

15 clubs

Ardal Leagues

North East

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 Premier League Premier Division
12 clubs
Gwent County League Premier Division
16 clubs

5

143 North East Wales Football League
Championship

16 clubs
North Wales Coast East League Division One
9 clubs
North Wales Coast West League Division One
12 clubs
Montgomeryshire League Division One
14 clubs
Ceredigion League Division One
12 clubs
Aberystwyth League Division One
7 clubs
Pembrokeshire League Division One
12 clubs
Carmarthenshire League Premier Division
10 clubs
Swansea Senior League Premier Division
11 clubs
Neath & District League Premier Division
12 clubs
South Wales Premier League Championship
13 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 Premier League Division One - West
12 clubs
South Wales Premier League Division One - East
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

112 Pembrokeshire League Division Four
12 clubs
Neath & District League Division Three
12 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

New system (From 2026-27 onwards)

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

Level Total clubs (803 +-)

League(s)/Division(s)

1

16 Cymru Premier
16 clubs

2

32 Cymru North
16 clubs
Cymru South
16 clubs

3

63 Ardal Leagues

North West

15 clubs

Ardal Leagues

North East

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 Premier League Premier Division
12 clubs
Gwent County League Premier Division
16 clubs

5

143 North East Wales Football League
Championship

16 clubs
North Wales Coast East League Division One
9 clubs
North Wales Coast West League Division One
12 clubs
Montgomeryshire League Division One
14 clubs
Ceredigion League Division One
12 clubs
Aberystwyth League Division One
7 clubs
Pembrokeshire League Division One
12 clubs
Carmarthenshire League Premier Division
10 clubs
Swansea Senior League Premier Division
11 clubs
Neath & District League Premier Division
12 clubs
South Wales Premier League Championship
13 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 Premier League Division One - West
12 clubs
South Wales Premier League Division One - East
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

112 Pembrokeshire League Division Four
12 clubs
Neath & District League Division Three
12 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

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References

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  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.