The Ardal Leagues are a football league in Wales. The word "ardal" translates as "district" in English, with Wales split into four regions at this level. They have clubs with amateur/semi-professional status and sit at the third level of the Welsh football league system. The first year of their operation would have been 2020–21 but the 2020–21 Ardal North East season, 2020–21 Ardal North West season, 2020–21 Ardal South East season and 2020–21 Ardal South West season were all cancelled. The inaugural season was moved to 2021–22. The creation of the leagues mark the first time the Football Association of Wales owns and is administering tier 3 of the Welsh league system. These changes follow from a review of the Welsh football pyramid. To be eligible clubs need to meet the criteria for FAW tier 3 certification.
The league is split into two leagues, covering North and South Wales. Both Northern and Southern leagues have two regionally-based sections of sixteen clubs each:
Ardal Northern Ardal North East (2026–27 Ardal NE season) Ardal North West (2026–27 Ardal NW season) Ardal Southern Ardal South East (2026–27 Ardal SE season) Ardal South West (2026–27 Ardal SW season)
The winners of each league are promoted to either the Cymru North or the Cymru South as long as they meet the FAW's tier 2 certification criteria. Subject to also meeting these criteria, the four runners-up clubs enter play-off matches with two of the clubs also gaining promotion (one from the north and one from the south).
The Ardal Leagues structure replaced the former tier 3 leagues: Welsh Football League Division One, Mid Wales Football League Division One, Welsh Alliance League Division One and the Welsh National League Premier Division, leagues based in South Wales, Mid Wales, North West Wales and North East Wales respectively.
Relegation from the Ardal Leagues is to six local tier 4 leagues, with three clubs relegated from each of the tier 3 leagues at the end of the season. The tier 4 leagues are run by each of the Area Associations of Welsh football, the West Wales Football Association, the South Wales Football Association, the Gwent County Football Association, the Central Wales Football Association, the North East Wales Football Association and the North Wales Coast Football Association.
Ardal League teams On 10 July 2020 the FAW confirmed the 64 teams in the new tier 3 leagues. In an attempt to avoid dividing the current Mid-Wales teams across all four leagues, the North-East league contains a large contingent of the Mid-Wales teams. The North-West league contains the sides near the North Wales coast. After confirmation of their inclusion STM Sports announced on 27 July that they had folded, leaving only 15 sides in the South West league. On 3 August it was confirmed that Cardiff Draconians had been promoted from the South Wales Alliance League to fill the remaining place in the league.
Since COVID-19-originated restrictions were put in place by the FAW, as from 10 August, clubs could have trained in groups of 15 and contact training would have been allowed at all-levels of football. However, competitive and exhibition matches were still not allowed to take place. Consequently, the FAW decided to cancel what was to be the Ardal Leagues' inaugural 2020–21 season on 4 February 2021, and on 26 March, Montgomery Town withdrew from the North East league for pandemic-related reasons. They were replaced by Cardiff Draconians, as the highest placed team from the Alliance League who had been awarded a licence.
2026–27 season The following clubs are league members for the 2026–27 season.
Ardal NE Bow Street Builth Wells Carno Cefn Albion Corwen Dolgellau Athletic FC Queens Park Kerry Knighton Town Llandrindod Wells (withdrew) Llanfair United Llangollen Town Llanrhaeadr Penycae Radnor Valley Rhos Aelwyd
Ardal NW Bethesda Athletic Broughton United Connah's Quay Town Kinmel Bay Llangefni Town Llannefydd Llanrwst United Llay Welfare Mynydd Isa Nefyn United NFA Penmaenmawr Phoenix Prestatyn Town Pwllheli Trearddur Bay Y Felinheli
Ardal SE Abercarn United Abergavenny Town Blaenavon Blues Brecon Corries Caldicot Town Chepstow Town Croesyceiliog Cwmbran Celtic Cwmbran Town Goytre Lliswerry New Inn Newport Corinthians Risca United Tredegar Town Undy Athletic
Ardal SW AFC Llwydcoed Canton Cardiff Airport Cardiff Corinthians Cefn Cribwr Clydach Evans & Williams Goytre United Morriston Town Mumbles Rangers Penrhiwceiber Rangers Penydarren Port Talbot Town Seven Sisters Onllwyn Taffs Well Ynysygerwn
Map
League champions, runner-ups, relegated teams, and Fair Play winners Ardal NE SeasonChampionsRunner-upRelegated teamsFair Play winners2021–22 Chirk AAA Caersws Carno, Kerry, Four Crosses Berriew2022–23 Caersws Cefn Albion Corwen, Rhayader Town Caersws2023–24 Penrhyncoch Bow Street Llanrhaeadr, Welshpool Town Penrhyncoch 2024–25 Brickfield Rangers Bow Street Llanidloes Town, Chirk AAA, Llansantffraid Village TBC2025–26 Llanuwchllyn Knighton Town Lex XI
Ardal NW SeasonChampionsRunner-upRelegated teamsFair Play winners2021–22 Mold Alexandra Porthmadog St Asaph City, Brymbo, Blaenau Amateurs Porthmadog2022–23 Denbigh Town Bangor 1876 Rhostyllen Denbigh Town2023–24 Flint Mountain Llay Welfare Bethesda Athletic, Hawarden Rangers, Saltney Town Y Felinheli2024–25 Rhyl 1879 Holyhead Hotspur Nantlle Vale, Menai Bridge Tigers, Conwy Borough TBC2025–26 Bangor City 1876 Porthmadog St Asaph City
Ardal SE SeasonChampionsRunner-upRelegated teamsFair Play winners2021–22 Abergavenny Town Abertillery Bluebirds Panteg, Abertillery Excelsiors, Aberbargoed Buds Chepstow Town2022–23 Abertillery Bluebirds Risca United Croesyceiliog, Monmouth Town, RTB Ebbw Vale Newport City2023–24 Trethomas Bluebirds Newport City Aberbargoed Buds, Hay St Marys, Lliswerry Abercarn United2024–25 Treowen Stars Chepstow Town Treharris Athletic Western, Newport Corinthians TBC2025–26 Caerphilly Athletic Cwmbran Town Abertillery Bluebirds
Ardal SW SeasonChampionsRunner-upRelegated teamsFair Play winners2021–22 Pontardawe Town Ynyshir Albions Ton Pentre, West End, AFC Porth Penrhiwceiber Rangers2022–23 Caerau (Ely) Baglan Dragons Garden Village, Cwmamman United, Dinas Powys Caerau (Ely)2023–24 Penrhiwceiber Rangers Cefn Cribwr Mumbles Rangers, Penydarren BGC, Port Talbot Town Swansea University2024–25 Cardiff Draconians Ynyshir Albions Bridgend Street, Pontyclun TBC2025–26 Pure Swansea Pontardawe Town Treherbert, South Gower
Promotion play-offs Ardal Northern SeasonArdal NE play-off finalistScoreArdal NW play-off finalist2021–22 Caersws 0–5 Porthmadog2022–23 Cefn Albion 2–4 Bangor 18762023–24 Llanuwchllyn 0–0 Llay Welfare2024–25 Llanuwchllyn 0–3 Holyhead Hotspur2025–26 Knighton Town 0–3 Porthmadog
Ardal Southern SeasonArdal SE play-off finalistScoreArdal SW play-off finalist2021–22 Abertillery Bluebirds 0–3 Ynyshir Albions2022–23 Risca United 0–2 Baglan Dragons2023–24 Newport City 2–1 Cefn Cribwr2024–25 Chepstow Town 0–2 Ynyshir Albions 2025–26 Cwmbrân Town0–2 Pontardawe Town
See also List of association football competitions Mid Wales Football League Welsh Alliance League Welsh Football League Welsh National League (Wrexham Area)
References
External links Ardal Northern twitter Ardal Southern twitter Ardal Northern Leagues Y Clwb Pêl-droed