Why a restructured pyramid structure will benefit Women’s football in Wales

The Football Association of Wales announced plans to restructure its pyramid structure for Women’s football. 

A new-look second tier along with licensing criteria for both the Welsh Premier Women’s League and the leagues that feed into it were announced.

Part of the criteria will see Welsh Premier Women’s League clubs required to run an U19s side which will compete in a Development League. 

The pyramid structure is heavily similar to how the men’s game has been changed with the Cymru North and Cymru South being administered by the FAW.

There is also a Development League for North and South clubs as well as Premier clubs in the men’s youth game. 

There is a slight difference to the proposed changes to Women’s football in Wales though. An independent committee is still expected to run the second tier but will receive increased support from the governing body.

From a personal perspective, I feel that the introduction of the Cymru Leagues has been a hugely beneficial facelift to Welsh domestic football.

Second tier clubs in men’s have never had such a prominent role in the way Welsh football is run.

To see the Women’s game adopting a similar structure will allow Wales to move in the right direction, creating for a pathway for the Women’s national team.

There needs to be a clear route for Welsh clubs to succeed in a pyramid structure and by introducing these changes, it will offer clubs a chance to build a stronger infrastructure.

In recent years, we’ve seen Llandudno and Rhyl have to withdraw from the top division due to a lack of players.

Now by firstly offering a recreational league for teams who don’t harbour the ambition of reaching the top level of Women’s football, it can cater for clubs with different levels of ambition.

A stronger regionalised second division can create for competitiveness in the division but also prepare clubs for top-flight football.

Following the launch of licensing to Women’s football, no clubs from the Ceredigion or North Wales Women’s League had applied for promotion to the league.

Instead it was a number of applicants from the South with only one club permitted for promotion to the Welsh Premier Women’s League in what is already small given the reduction of teams in recent years.

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)