The FAW Welsh Cup (), currently known as the JD Welsh Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams in the Welsh football league system. It is considered the most prestigious of the cup competitions in domestic Welsh football.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the organising body of this competition, which has been run (except during the two World Wars and the COVID-19 pandemic) every year since its inception in 1877–78.
In the early years of organised football in Wales, football was very much the sport of north Wales rather than the rugby union playing south – the FAW was founded in Wrexham in 1876, and Wrexham remained the site of the FAW's head office until 1986; it was not until 1912 that a southern team, Cardiff City, won the Welsh Cup for the first time.
The winning team qualifies to play in the following season's UEFA Conference League (previously teams qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, which was discontinued in 1999, and until 2021, qualified for the UEFA Europa League).
Participants Until 1995, Welsh clubs playing in the Welsh or English leagues were invited to play in the Welsh Cup. On occasion some English clubs, mostly teams from border areas (for example, Chester City, Crewe Alexandra, Tranmere Rovers, Hereford United and Shrewsbury Town), were also invited to participate. However, in the event of an English club winning the Welsh Cup, they were not allowed to progress to the European Cup Winners' Cup. Instead, the best placed Welsh club in the Welsh Cup competition would take the European place.
From 1996 to 2011, only clubs playing in the Welsh football league system were allowed to enter the Welsh Cup. This rule excluded the six Welsh clubs who played in the English football league system: Swansea City, Colwyn Bay, Merthyr Tydfil (replaced by Merthyr Town), Newport County, Cardiff City and Wrexham. On 20 April 2011, the Football Association of Wales invited these six clubs to rejoin the Welsh Cup for the 2011–12 season, but only Merthyr Town, Newport County and Wrexham accepted.
In March 2012, UEFA stated that Welsh clubs playing in the English football league system could not qualify for European competitions via the Welsh Cup but they could qualify via the English league and cup competitions, hence they were subsequently again excluded from the Welsh Cup. Colwyn Bay joined the Welsh league system in 2019, thus becoming eligible to compete in the Welsh Cup again.
History Between the 1961–62 and 1984–85 seasons, the final was played as a two-leg match, originally on a points basis rather than aggregate score. In the 1985–86 season, it reverted to a one-game format (though a replay was required in the first two seasons), then changed to have a single game decided by extra time and penalties as necessary.
With six wins, Shrewsbury Town hold the record for the most times an English team has won the Cup, a record that will remain unbroken because English teams have not been allowed to compete in the cup since 1995. The last English winner of the Welsh Cup was Hereford United in 1990.
Results
Performance Performance by club ClubWinnersRunners-upFinal appearancesLast finalWrexham2322451995Cardiff City2210321995Swansea City108181991The New Saints104142025Bangor City810182013Cefn Druids86142012Shrewsbury Town 6391985Barry Town6172003Chirk A.A.A.5161894Rhyl4482006Chester City 310131970Merthyr Tydfil3251987Wellington Town 3–31940Connah's Quay Nomads2352025Oswestry United 2–21901Crewe Alexandra 2–21937Newtown1342015Hereford United 1341990Aberystwyth Town1342018Connah's Quay & Shotton1231929Newport County1231987Carmarthen Town1232007Llanelli1232011Flint Town United1232026Newtown White Stars 1121881Oswestry 1121885Tranmere Rovers 1121935Lovell's Athletic1121959Bala Town1122023Ebbw Vale1–11926Bristol City 1–11934Caernarfon Town1–12026South Liverpool 1–11939Borough United1–11963Inter Cardiff1–11999Prestatyn Town1–12013Aberdare Athletic–441923Pontypridd–331921Cwmbran Town–332002Westminster Rovers–221892Whitchurch –221906Northwich Victoria –221910Kidderminster Harriers –221989Ruthin–111880Davenham –111887Aberaman–111903Ton Pentre–111922Merthyr Town–111924Stourbridge –111974Hednesford Town –111992Afan Lido–112007Port Talbot Town–112010Penybont–112022
Notes
See also FAW Premier Cup Football in Wales List of football clubs in Wales List of stadiums in Wales by capacity Welsh football league system Welsh League Cup FAW Trophy
References
External links
Welsh Football Data Archive Welsh Cup pages