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TheWelsh football league system (orpyramid) is a series offootball leagues with regular promotion and relegation between them.
It consists of four main tiers, as well as lower local leagues.
While mostWelsh 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.
At the top is theCymru Premier, which is the only national league in Wales and is run by theFootball Association of Wales.
Following a review of the Welsh league pyramid, since 2019–20 theFootball Association of Wales runs the second tier for the first time. 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 theCymru Alliance whilst the Cymru South incorporated most of the clubs of the then highest division of theWelsh Football League.
Following a review of the Welsh league pyramid, since the 2020–21 season theFootball Association of Wales has run the third tier. Tier 3, called theArdal Leagues, is split into a Northern and Southern League, with each league further 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. To avoid dividing the previous 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 new structure replaces the former tier 3 leagues:Welsh Football League Division One,Mid Wales Football League Division One,Welsh Alliance League Division 1 and theWelsh National League Premier Division, which were based in South Wales, Mid Wales, North West Wales and North East Wales respectively.
Three clubs are relegated from each of the tier 3 leagues at the end of each season.
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.
Below theNorth Wales Coast East andWest there are Division One leagues at tier 5 andNorth East Wales Football League has a championship division, also at tier 5.
In this area there are four leagues at tier 5: theCeredigion League, theMontgomeryshire League, theMid Wales South League, and theAberystwyth League. These offer promotion to the tier 4Central Wales Football League Northern and Southern divisions.
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 theNewport and District,East Gwent,Gwent Central andNorth Gwent leagues have a promotion pathway to Division Two of theGwent County League (tier 6). Champions (or runners-up) of these leagues are eligible for promotion if they satisfy FAW criteria.
TheSouth 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 ownPremier 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 thePembrokeshire,Carmarthenshire,Swansea Senior andNeath & District Leagues, subject to meeting FAW licensing requirements. The top divisions of each of these leagues are at tier 5.
From the 2023-24 season, the following structure will follow. For each division, its official name and number of clubs is given:
From the 2026-27 season, the following structure will follow. For each division, its official name and number of clubs is given:
