Who and when? The Welsh Premier League playoff schedule

With the regular Welsh Premier League reaching its conclusion, attention will now turn towards the play-offs.

Four sides will battle it out for the final Europa League spot. 

The New Saints won the Welsh Premier League title which saw them qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Losing Welsh Cup finalists Connah’s Quay qualified for the Europa League alongside Barry Town United, who finished third.

That leaves three of the four European spots filled. 

All three clubs in the UEFA Europa League, look set to compete in the preliminary round.

When will the games be played?

Friday 10th May: Newtown v Bala – 19:45

Saturday 11th May: Caernarfon Town v Cardiff Metropolitan – 19:30 

Sunday 19th May: TBC v TBC – 17:15 

How do the playoffs work?

The Welsh Premier League has four European spaces and one is decided by a playoff spot.

In some cases, teams in the top six have already qualified for Europe by winning the Welsh Cup and a league position. 

Teams play a total of two games, with no second legs to redeem yourself. 

The final can go to extra time and penalties to decide the winner. 

The side who finishes the highest will have home advantage in both the semi-final and the final.

Who is involved this year?

Caernarfon finished third in dramatic circumstances after Kayne McLaggon’s last gasp penalty for Barry Town United earned the Cofi’s a fourth place finish in their first season back in the top flight.

They will host Cardiff Metropolitan, who for the first time in their top flight history, had to settle for a finish outside the top six. They still however qualified for the playoffs by finishing seventh.

This is the first time that Caernarfon will be involved in the Europa League playoffs.

Cardiff Metropolitan have been involved in the last two, losing in both finals. Met finished below both Bangor City and Cefn Druids, meaning they’ve never had home advantage.

In the other semi-final, Newtown will take on Bala Town, who will have to take part in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Should Caernarfon win then the final would be held at the Oval, whilst if Cardiff Metropolitan were to claim an away victory, they would still play the final at the home ground of the victor of Newtown versus Bala. 

(Featured Image: Naomi Jones)