The Football Association of Wales have announced their intentions for next season following a restructure to the pyramid system.
In the 2019/2019 season, the Football Association of Wales will take control of the second tiers of both the Northern and Southern League. They will be branded the ‘Northern Championship’ and the ‘Southern Championship.’
The FAW have aims to create a Championship brand with the aim of obtaining a sponsor and commercial deals. Rules for the Championship will be analysed by solicitors by December 2018, which will be sent for FAW approval.
The divisions will consist of sixteen teams. This will work by the League Champions should they obtain the Tier Two licence being promoted to the North and Southern Championship and two teams are to be relegated from Tier Two. To achieve promotion from Tier Three to Tier Two, the League Champions will be promoted, as well as a play-off for the leagues’ runner-up.
The Football Association released a document outlining why the FAW will be implementing their changes: “A key objective of the FAW’s “2020 vision and strategic plan for Welsh football” is to have “Stronger clubs operating at levels 1 and 2, following a successful restructuring of the FAW Pyramid and a greater number of clubs attaining the National Licence.”
“The Pyramid Review was established to ensure that the Association addressed this fundamental objective with the aim of improving the domestic game in Wales and developing a consistent approach at all levels of the Pyramid.”
The changes have been made after a number of clubs have resigned in the last few seasons, with a total of thirteen clubs resigning from the Central and North Walian leagues.
The Mid Wales League, the Welsh Alliance League, Welsh Football League and the Welsh National League will still exist up until the 2020/2021 season, where there will be two separate divisions in the Northern and Southern Divisions.
(Featured Image: Matthew Lofthouse)
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