Four EFL clubs are discussing the possibility of entering the Welsh Domestic Cup with the Football Association of Wales, therefore offering them the opportunity to qualify for European competitions. Cardiff City, Wrexham, Newport County and Swansea are the Welsh clubs competing in the English Football League pyramid.
Cymru Premier champions The New Saints (TNS) are the nation’s sole representative in Europe, having earned the right to enter the qualifying rounds by winning their 11th title in the last 13 years last season.
Wales Lose European Qualification Spot
Welsh clubs have struggled to compete in Europe with TNS becoming the first side from the county to qualify for the league phase of a European competition this season, earning them ties away to the likes League of Ireland Champions Shamrock Rovers and Serie A side Fiorentina.
The Cymru Premier has seen its quota of clubs eligible for qualification to UEFA’s major competitions drop from four to three and they are now ranked in 50th place of the 55 nations on UEFA’s coefficient rankings. The league does not have the resources to remain competitive in the playoff rounds but they have been improving in recent seasons.
TNS beat Montenegro side FK Decic Tuzi in the first qualifying round of the Champions League, ensuring they needed to win just one play-off to secure qualification to the league phase of the Conference League. Despite qualifying for UEFA’s third-tier competition they were heavily beaten by Hungarian side Ferencvárosi TC in the second qualifying round of the Champions League, losing 5-0 in the first leg away from home en route to a 7-1 aggregate defeat.
BBC Sport are reporting that there may be an alternative to help ensure better-resourced clubs are offered a route to qualify for Europe, with Welsh clubs including Wrexham and Swansea competing in the EFL, hoping to enter the Welsh Cup. This would lead to those teams being unable to qualify for Europe through the Premier League or the domestic cup competitions in England.
Wrexham One of Four Clubs Looking to Enter Welsh Cup
The report states Swansea commissioned an extensive report with Deloitte to highlight the possibility and benefits of the teams entering the Welsh domestic cup. The four clubs, together with the FAW have now presented their proposal, known as Prosiect Cymru to UEFA, the Premier League and clubs in the Welsh top-flight.
Although only one of the four clubs could potentially qualify for Europe, the boost that Welsh clubs would receive from playing against sides high up the EFL pyramid would be significant in terms of raising the profile of the league. It should lead to increased revenues with potential TV deals and increased ticket sales when the likes of Wrexham are drawn against a club in the Welsh football pyramid.
Wrexham and Swansea, in particular, would be in a better position in terms of resources to have a run in Europe and this would lead to increased prize money from UEFA. The BBC story offers a quote from the Prosiect Cymru report where it highlights the unique position Welsh football is in regarding its sides competing in the EFL:
“Welsh football is in a unique position within European football in that its largest clubs play in the domestic league of another country (England).
“This has historically limited the ability of Welsh domestic clubs to be competitive in Uefa club competitions.
“An innovative solution to address this position has transformational potential for the whole Welsh football ecosystem from grassroots to the professional men’s and women’s game.”
In theory, this would be an excellent proposal for clubs in the Welsh football pyramid and for the EFL clubs to enable them a route to Europe but the impact on the football calendar, which is heavily squeezed in England as it is, will need to be considered. It could be that Wrexham, Swansea, Cardiff City and Newport County no longer compete in the Carabao Cup but the EFL would likely object to this. This is a story to watch but the concept is an excellent idea, although there is work to do to implement it to ensure satisfaction for all stakeholders.
