The 12 Welsh clubs chasing Cymru Premier promotion and what they need to go up

Twelve clubs from the Cymru North and Cymru South have applied for a place in the Cymru Premier, with the promotion race now taking shape across the Welsh football pyramid.

Five clubs from the Cymru North and seven from the Cymru South have registered their interest in moving up to the top flight.

But finishing in a promotion position will not be enough on its own.

Clubs must also hold a Tier One Licence to take their place in the Cymru Premier, meaning there is plenty still to be decided before the final promotion places are confirmed. The Football Association of Wales have today confirmed which clubs have signalled their interest to go up.

The five Cymru North clubs hoping to go up

The five Cymru North clubs to have applied are Bala Town, Brickfield Rangers, Bangor City 1876, Rhyl 1879 and Newtown.

Brickfield Rangers currently lead the way in the North and have made an impressive start to the campaign, winning eight of their first nine matches and losing just once.

Newtown are currently third, while Bala Town sit fourth in the table.

Bangor City 1876 are seventh, with Rhyl 1879 currently 11th.

That means there is a considerable difference between the clubs’ current league positions, but all five have put themselves forward for the chance to compete in the Cymru Premier.

The promotion battle will become clearer as the season progresses, with the final standings only one part of the equation.

A club must meet the FAW’s licensing requirements before it can take up a place in the top tier.

Seven Cymru South clubs have also applied

There are seven applicants from the Cymru South: Aberystwyth Town, Caerau Ely, Carmarthen Town, Llanelli Town, Newport City and Pure Swansea.

Pure Swansea currently sit top of the Cymru South and are looking to make it back-to-back promotions after winning the Ardal South West last season.

The club was previously known as Swansea University and won the Cymru South title in 2019/20.

However, they did not hold the required Tier One Licence at the time, meaning Haverfordwest County took the promotion place instead.

Aberystwyth Town are currently second, with Caerau Ely fourth and Carmarthen Town fifth.

Further down the table, Newport City are 12th, while Llanelli Town are currently bottom in 16th.

Caerau Ely also have recent experience of the licensing process, having secured a Tier One Licence on appeal last season. They narrowly missed out on promotion to Ammanford.

With seven clubs now applying from the Cymru South, the promotion race could have a major impact on the make-up of next season’s Cymru Premier.

How many promotion places are available?

There are two routes into the Cymru Premier from the two feeder leagues.

The team finishing first in the Cymru North and the team finishing first in the Cymru South will be promoted automatically, provided they have a Tier One Licence.

The runners-up in both leagues will then face each other in a play-off.

The winner of that match will face the Cymru Premier club finishing 14th, with the winner of that final tie securing a place in the top flight.

That means a second-place finish does not guarantee promotion, while even a first-place finish comes with the important condition of having the required licence.

What is the Tier One Licence process?

Clubs interested in competing in the Cymru Premier had until September 30 to register their interest in obtaining a Tier One Licence.

The process then moves into a detailed assessment of each applicant.

During October, November and December, visits to the clubs’ grounds will take place. The clubs will also undergo audits and have their licensing documents assessed.

If a club shares a ground, any required ground-sharing agreement must be submitted by March 1, 2027, in line with the FAW Pyramid Regulations.

The final decision will be made by an independent First Instance Body (FIB) on April 9, 2027.

The panel is made up of people with relevant expertise and will assess each club against the required criteria.

Clubs will be told the outcome on the same day.

If an application is unsuccessful, the FIB will provide written reasons, and the club will have the opportunity to appeal. Appeals must be submitted by April 19, 2027.

The licence assessment covers six broad areas: sporting, social and environmental sustainability, infrastructure, personnel and administration, legal requirements, and finances.

So while the league table will determine which clubs are in the promotion picture, their ability to meet the off-field requirements could ultimately determine who actually reaches the Cymru Premier.

For the 12 applicants, the race is therefore about much more than collecting points between now and the end of the season.