- Welsh clubs playing in England may soon have an alternative route to Europe
- The plans would see Wrexham, Cardiff and Swansea in the Welsh League Cup
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Wrexham will soon cross swords with some of Europe’s most famous names if football bosses approve a radical plan later this year.
The League One club has become a global sensation thanks to the investment of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and Welsh FA chiefs have developed a proposal that would see Wrexham, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport compete in the Welsh League Cup – putting them would gain an easier path to European competition.
Key figures from the FAW (Welsh FA) also believe the move would boost investment in Welsh football.
Because the clubs are part of the English pyramid, they can only qualify for Europe via the Premier League, FA Cup or EFL Cup. If they were to participate in the Welsh League Cup, they would no longer be able to reach Europe via the ‘English’ route.
However, Mail Sport understands that there is strong interest in the idea of the initiative, called ‘Prosiect Cymru’ (Project Wales).
Wrexham’s football fairy tale could see them compete in Europe if radical plans are approved
Prosiect Cymru would see Welsh clubs play in the English pyramid competing in the Welsh League Cup for a place in the Europa Conference League
UEFA, the Football Association, the Premier League and clubs from the Cymru Premier, Wales’ domestic top flight, have seen the proposal and it will be submitted to the FA’s Professional Game Board before the end of 2024.
The winner of the Welsh League Cup will play in the Europa Conference League, in which Chelsea, Panathinaikos and Fiorentina play this season.
Roma won the first edition in 2022, followed by West Ham in 2023 and Olympiacos last year.
Welsh clubs in the EFL have not competed in an FAW competition since the FAW Premier Cup – which did not offer European qualification – was axed in 2008, but they have a rich history in continental competitions.
Cardiff beat Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971, Wrexham beat Porto in the same competition in 1984 and Newport reached a quarter-final of the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1981, while Swansea won 3–0 at Valencia in the Europa League of 2013. agreement.