Wrexham could qualify for Europe after 'transformational' talks over cup competition
There are four teams from Wales in the English football pyramid and they are now in talks over a new method of qualifying for Europe within their home nation moving forwards
by Scott Trotter · The MirrorWrexham hope to have a new route into European competition as they continue their rise after being taken over by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The Red Dragons, and the other Welsh sides who ply their trade in the English Football League, Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County, are in talks about a 'transformational' change. Reports suggest the group are in discussions in order to enter a Welsh cup competition in a bid to qualify for European football.
Currently as the sides play in the English pyramid, they can only qualify for European competitions via success in the Premier League, FA Cup or EFL Cup. Swansea for example qualified for the Europa League after winning the latter in 2013.
The four clubs now hope to enter the Welsh League Cup in order to fight for the chance to represent Wales in the Europa Conference League. This would see the teams give up their chance of qualifying for Europe via English competitions however.
BBC report, that following discusions with the Football Association of Wales, the vision has now been presented to UEFA, the Football Association, Premier League and the Cymru Premier. Their ambition, Prosiect Cymru, would 'drive improvement for the whole Welsh football ecosystem' it is claimed.
Wrexham have already spoken of their ambitions to one day realise European football. The club have earned two promotions since the takeover by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2021 and currently sit second in League One.
“That’s the beauty of sport. You just don’t know where it’s going to end,” said McElhenney in April. “Our ultimate goal is to build a sustainable model that will allow us to not only get to the Premier League, but sustain in the Premier League and eventually win the Premier League and be in the Champions League.”
"That’s part of the gambit here. You’re surrendering to fate," Reynolds offered in the same interview. "You can’t write the script in advance. You can only work as hard as humanly possible to put the best club and infrastructure out on the onto that pitch and that’s what makes it compelling. That we don’t have that kind of control. And in football, not unlike life, anything can happen."
Last season's winners of the Welsh League cup, The New Saints became the first club from the Wales' league system to qualify for the group stage of a major UEFA competition and are competiting in the Conference League this term.
Swansea and Cardiff had been provided with wildcard spots in Wales' cup competition last term.
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