Swansea City and their fellow Welsh clubs in the English Football League (EFL)—Cardiff City, Wrexham, and Newport County—are engaged in talks about a potential re-entry into European football, but this time through a Welsh competition.
The discussions, known as Prosiect Cymru (Project Wales), center on the idea of the Welsh clubs participating in the Welsh League Cup (Nathaniel MG Cup) as a route to qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Currently, these Welsh clubs, despite their heritage and Welsh location, can only qualify for European competitions via English routes such as the Premier League, FA Cup, or EFL Cup. This creates a difficult path for them, as they must compete against the bigger clubs of English football to secure a European spot. Swansea City’s last European appearance was in 2013, when they qualified for the Europa League after lifting the EFL Cup.
Prosiect Cymru offers a different proposition. Under the plan, Swansea and the other EFL clubs would maintain their league football within the English system, but they would re-enter the Welsh League Cup, which carries with it a chance to represent Wales in European competitions. However, entering this Welsh competition would mean giving up their right to qualify for Europe through English competitions—a significant sacrifice considering Swansea’s previous European adventure was via the English system.
A report commissioned by Swansea, in conjunction with Deloitte, suggests the initiative could be a game-changer for Welsh football. It claims that the financial benefits from the clubs’ potential European exploits could be redistributed throughout the Welsh football pyramid, strengthening grassroots development, the Cymru Premier, and the women’s game.
For Swansea City, a club with rich European history, this proposal could mark a welcome return to continental competition. Swansea famously played in the Europa League in 2013, even beating Valencia 3-0 in an iconic away match at the Mestalla Stadium. Now, with Wales’ top-tier clubs in the Cymru Premier struggling to make an impact in Europe, the inclusion of Swansea and the other EFL clubs could significantly boost the country’s UEFA ranking.
Welcoming Competition, Uneasy Feelings
From the Cymru Premier’s perspective, the entry of Swansea and the other EFL clubs into the Welsh League Cup presents a rare opportunity for the domestic sides to compete against higher-level opposition. Teams like The New Saints (TNS), Bala Town, and Connah’s Quay could face off against sides with vastly greater resources, providing a new level of exposure for the Cymru Premier. The FAW hopes that this influx of competition would raise the profile of Welsh football, both domestically and abroad.
However, this plan isn’t without its critics. Some fans of Welsh domestic football feel it disingenuous for these EFL clubs—who chose to align with the English system decades ago—to now return via the back door when it comes to European qualification. These sentiments are perhaps most strongly felt in the communities of clubs that continue to ply their trade in the Cymru Premier, where the question of fairness looms large.
The New Saints’ recent achievement of qualifying for the Europa Conference League group stages—the first Welsh pyramid club to do so—was seen as a major breakthrough. Yet, if Swansea and their EFL counterparts were to enter the Welsh League Cup, it could overshadow the progress made by Cymru Premier sides. For many, it feels as if these Welsh clubs in the EFL are being handed an easier route to Europe, while those playing within Wales’ borders have struggled for years to earn the same recognition.
Writer’s View
The prospect of Swansea City rejoining the race for European football through a Welsh competition is undeniably exciting for their supporters. Memories of that famous 2013 Europa League run are still fresh in the minds of Swans fans, and this opportunity could provide similar moments of glory. However, it feels somewhat disingenuous for Welsh EFL clubs to claim this route into Europe while continuing to benefit from the financial stability and higher-level competition of the English system.
For clubs playing in Wales’ Cymru Premier, the pathway to European football has always been fraught with difficulty, and many will argue that the top Welsh clubs, who have chosen to play in the English system, are now cutting in line. Yes, Prosiect Cymru offers potential financial rewards for Welsh football as a whole, but there’s a certain injustice to Welsh clubs that have committed to their domestic competition being overtaken by clubs that left Wales for more lucrative pastures long ago.
This development shines a light on the broader debate about the structure of Welsh football and whether it’s fair for clubs like Swansea to benefit from the Welsh pyramid without playing their league football within it. It might be a financially sound proposal, but ethically, it opens up significant questions about fairness and the integrity of domestic competition in Wales.
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