Football Association of Wales

Five Welsh Premier League Clubs were granted a National Club Licence, when the Football Association of Wales Club Licensing First Instance Body met in Cardiff today. League Champions Total Network Solutions, Aberystwyth Town, Airbus UK, Bangor City and Carmarthen Town were the five successful clubs. The Body assesses the applications based on the Infrastructure, Sporting (Youth), Personnel, Legal and Financial aspects of the club.

Club Licensing, now in its third year of existence, was introduced by UEFA to ensure uniformed standards throughout the fifty-two member Nations in their three Club Competitions; the Champions League, UEFA Cup and Intertoto Cup. All clubs participating in the aforementioned competitions must have a Licence in order to compete.

Llanelli AFC and Rhyl FC, who both currently occupy European Competition places based on their current League positions, were both rejected for a Club Licence by the First Instance Body. They now have the opportunity to appeal against that decision and will learn their European fate on May 16th when the Appeals Body meet. Should the Appeals Body also reject their application, the next best place Licensed club in the League will be nominated for that particular competition.

Only four Welsh Premier League grounds met the Infrastructure criteria, and are therefore eligible to stage UEFA Club Competition games. These are Belle Vue, GF Grigg Latham Park, Leckwith Stadium and Cwmbran Stadium, the homes of Rhyl FC, Newtown AFC, Grange Quins and Cwmbran Town respectively.

The Board commented on the excellent progress that had been made by the majority of clubs this season, which will only enhance the standard of the League. They were particularly delighted that Airbus UK had achieved their first Licence this season, after narrowly missing out 12 months ago. The Board also praised TNS FC and Aberystwyth Town for being granted a Licence for the third consecutive season.

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