Welsh football league system
{{Short description|Series of association football leagues in Wales}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2024}}
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
=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.{{cite web |last1=Llyr |first1=Owain |title=Welsh football: Leagues restructure confirmed by FAW |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43115645 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=2 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522213514/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/43115645 |archive-date=22 May 2023 |date=19 February 2018 |url-status=live}}
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:
- Central Wales League (run by Central Wales Football Association)
- North East Wales Football League Premier Division (run by North East Wales Football Association)
- North Wales Coast East Football League Premier Division and North Wales Coast West Football League Premier Division (run by North Wales Coast Football Association)
- Gwent County League Premier Division (run by Gwent County Football Association)
- West Wales Premier League (run by the West Wales Football Association)
- South Wales Alliance League Premier Division (run by South Wales Football Association)
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 three leagues at tier 5 - the Ceredigion League, the Montgomeryshire League, and 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 County FA, South Wales FA, and West Wales FA respectively, with promotion up the pyramid possible.
In the Gwent County FA 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)
From the 2023-24 season, the following structure will follow. For each division, its official name and number of clubs is given:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| width=3%|Level
!Total clubs (802 +-) ! colspan="24" width="90%" | League(s)/Division(s) |
|---|
| 1
|12 | colspan="24" |Cymru Premier |
| 2
|32 | colspan="6" |Cymru North | colspan="18"|Cymru South |
| 3
|64 | colspan="3" |Ardal Leagues North West 16 clubs | colspan="3" |Ardal Leagues North East 16 clubs | colspan="9" |{{small|Ardal Leagues | colspan="9"|{{small|Ardal Leagues |
| 4
|106 | colspan="1"|{{small|North East Wales Football League | colspan="1"|{{small|North Wales Coast East League Premier Division}} | colspan="1"|{{small|North Wales Coast West League Premier Division}} | colspan="1"|{{small|Central Wales Football League North Division}} | colspan="2"|{{small|Central Wales Football League South Division}} | colspan="4"|{{small|West Wales Premier League}} | colspan="9"|{{small|South Wales Premier League Premier Division}} | colspan="5"|{{small|Gwent County League Premier Division}} |
| 5
|143 | {{small|North East Wales Football League | {{small|North Wales Coast East League Division One}} | {{small|North Wales Coast West League Division One}} | {{small|Montgomeryshire League Division One}} | {{small|Ceredigion League Division One}} | {{small|Aberystwyth League Division One}} | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division One}} | {{small|Carmarthenshire League Premier Division}} | {{small|Swansea Senior League Premier Division}} | {{small|Neath & District League Premier Division}} | colspan="9"| {{small|South Wales Premier League Championship}} | colspan="5"| {{small|Gwent County League Division One}} |
| 6
|92 | colspan="4" | | {{small|Ceredigion League Division Two}} | colspan="1"| | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Two}} | {{small|Carmarthenshire League Division One}} | {{small|Swansea Senior League Division Two}} | {{small|Neath & District League Division One}} | colspan="4" | {{small|South Wales Premier League Division One - West}} | colspan="5" |{{small|South Wales Premier League Division One - East}} | colspan="5" | {{small|Gwent County League Division Two}} |
| 7
|182 | colspan="4" | | {{small|Ceredigion League Division Three}} | colspan="1"| | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Three}} | {{small|Carmarthenshire League Division Two}} | colspan="1"| | {{small|Neath & District League Division Two}} | {{small|Aberdare Valley League Premier Division}} | {{small|Bridgend & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Cardiff & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Cardiff Combination League Premier Division}} | {{small|Merthyr & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Port Talbot Football League Premier Division}} | {{small|Rhondda & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Premier Division}} | {{small|Vale of Glamorgan League Premier Division}} | {{small|North Gwent League Premier Division}} | {{small|Gwent Central League Division One}} | {{small|Newport and District League Premier X Division}} | {{small|Newport and District League Premier Y Division}} | {{small|East Gwent League Division One}} |
| 8
|112 | colspan="6" | | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Four}} | colspan="2"| | {{small|Neath & District League Division Three}} | | {{small|Bridgend & District League Division One}} | {{small|Cardiff & District League Division One}} | {{small|Cardiff Combination League Division One}} | colspan="2"| | {{small|Rhondda & District League Division One}} | {{small|Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Division One}} | {{small|Vale of Glamorgan League Division One}} | | {{small|Gwent Central League Division Two}} | colspan="2"| {{small|Newport and District League Division One}} | {{small|East Gwent League Division Two}} |
| 9
|52 | colspan="6" | | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Five}} | colspan="4"| | {{small|Bridgend & District League Division Two}} | {{small|Cardiff & District League Division Two}} | colspan="4" | | {{small|Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Division Two}} | colspan="3" | | colspan="2" |{{small|Newport and District League Division Two}} | colspan="1"| |
| 10
|8 | colspan="12" | | {{small|Cardiff & District League Division Three}} | colspan="11"| | |
New system (From 2026-27 onwards)
From the 2026-27 season, the following structure will follow. For each division, its official name and number of clubs is given:
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| width=3%|Level
!Total clubs (802 +-) ! colspan="24" width="90%" | League(s)/Division(s) |
|---|
| 1
|16 | colspan="24" |Cymru Premier |
| 2
|32 | colspan="6" |Cymru North | colspan="18"|Cymru South |
| 3
|64 | colspan="3" |Ardal Leagues North West 16 clubs | colspan="3" |Ardal Leagues North East 16 clubs | colspan="9" |{{small|Ardal Leagues | colspan="9"|{{small|Ardal Leagues |
| 4
|106 | colspan="1"|{{small|North East Wales Football League | colspan="1"|{{small|North Wales Coast East League Premier Division}} | colspan="1"|{{small|North Wales Coast West League Premier Division}} | colspan="1"|{{small|Central Wales Football League North Division}} | colspan="2"|{{small|Central Wales Football League South Division}} | colspan="4"|{{small|West Wales Premier League}} | colspan="9"|{{small|South Wales Premier League Premier Division}} | colspan="5"|{{small|Gwent County League Premier Division}} |
| 5
|143 | {{small|North East Wales Football League | {{small|North Wales Coast East League Division One}} | {{small|North Wales Coast West League Division One}} | {{small|Montgomeryshire League Division One}} | {{small|Ceredigion League Division One}} | {{small|Aberystwyth League Division One}} | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division One}} | {{small|Carmarthenshire League Premier Division}} | {{small|Swansea Senior League Premier Division}} | {{small|Neath & District League Premier Division}} | colspan="9"| {{small|South Wales Premier League Championship}} | colspan="5"| {{small|Gwent County League Division One}} |
| 6
|92 | colspan="4" | | {{small|Ceredigion League Division Two}} | colspan="1"| | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Two}} | {{small|Carmarthenshire League Division One}} | {{small|Swansea Senior League Division Two}} | {{small|Neath & District League Division One}} | colspan="4" | {{small|South Wales Premier League Division One - West}} | colspan="5" |{{small|South Wales Premier League Division One - East}} | colspan="5" | {{small|Gwent County League Division Two}} |
| 7
|182 | colspan="4" | | {{small|Ceredigion League Division Three}} | colspan="1"| | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Three}} | {{small|Carmarthenshire League Division Two}} | colspan="1"| | {{small|Neath & District League Division Two}} | {{small|Aberdare Valley League Premier Division}} | {{small|Bridgend & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Cardiff & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Cardiff Combination League Premier Division}} | {{small|Merthyr & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Port Talbot Football League Premier Division}} | {{small|Rhondda & District League Premier Division}} | {{small|Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Premier Division}} | {{small|Vale of Glamorgan League Premier Division}} | {{small|North Gwent League Premier Division}} | {{small|Gwent Central League Division One}} | {{small|Newport and District League Premier X Division}} | {{small|Newport and District League Premier Y Division}} | {{small|East Gwent League Division One}} |
| 8
|112 | colspan="6" | | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Four}} | colspan="2"| | {{small|Neath & District League Division Three}} | | {{small|Bridgend & District League Division One}} | {{small|Cardiff & District League Division One}} | {{small|Cardiff Combination League Division One}} | colspan="2"| | {{small|Rhondda & District League Division One}} | {{small|Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Division One}} | {{small|Vale of Glamorgan League Division One}} | | {{small|Gwent Central League Division Two}} | colspan="2"| {{small|Newport and District League Division One}} | {{small|East Gwent League Division Two}} |
| 9
|52 | colspan="6" | | {{small|Pembrokeshire League Division Five}} | colspan="4"| | {{small|Bridgend & District League Division Two}} | {{small|Cardiff & District League Division Two}} | colspan="4" | | {{small|Taff Ely & Rhymney Valley Alliance League Division Two}} | colspan="3" | | colspan="2" |{{small|Newport and District League Division Two}} | colspan="1"| |
| 10
|8 | colspan="12" | | {{small|Cardiff & District League Division Three}} | colspan="11"| | |
See also
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20091101070956/http://www.welsh-football.net/pyramid.php Welsh Football Magazine{{'}}s page on the Welsh Pyramid] (archived 1 November 2009)
References
{{reflist}}
{{Football in Wales}}
{{Football in Europe}}
{{League systems}}