The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has called for greater funding for Welsh football after setting out ambitious targets for the next decade. Wales' governing body says it wants more players, more pitches and more qualifications for major tournaments over the next ten years. The FAW's aims have been outlined in a new strategic plan that includes seeing the men's national side return to the top 20 of Fifa's world rankings.
Their plan – Llunio Cymru – sets out a number of measures of success between now and 2036, all based on growing participation and helping the national sides "perform on the world stage". A key goal includes ensuring "quality" facilities are in place "within 15 minutes of every community" with a target of 100 new or upgraded pitches by 2030. But chief executive Noel Mooney admits the association will be looking to the Welsh government for greater help for new facilities with plans to increase the number of registered players in Wales by 30%.
"We need a lot more support," said Mooney. "We're very clear on the growth of the female game that we need facilities for that. We've spent more than £30m over the last four years building pitches all across the country but we've a long, long way to go.
"Thankfully, our resources are increasing - which is good - but we really need more support from Welsh government and from the 22 local authorities to deliver this." FAW posts loss for 2025 despite record revenue Welsh football bosses reveal cost to improve facilities FAW CEO Noel Mooney on Bellamy, FIFA and the grassroots game Key targets for the elite game include qualifying for every other major tournament and reaching the knockout stages of the co-hosted Euro 2028 and 2035 Women's World Cup. The FAW wants 80% of men's and women's national team players to be regular starters in the world's top five leagues, with the men's squad currently at 65%. One plan to achieve that is the introduction of two elite category club academies in the country, having admitted there has been a drop-off in talent produced for the men's national side following Swansea City's loss of category one status.
Now the FAW said it will work with clubs to lend resources and staff and boost chances of new talent emerging – with an aim of producing two players per team every year. In the meantime, the FAW said it has developed data tracking of dual-qualified players and continue work on the national academies for the women's game. But the aims are underpinned by a long-term focus to grow the number of people playing the game.
The FAW last set out targets in 2021, qualification for the 2022 men's World Cup and the 2025 women's Euros two key goals ticked. They also hit goals for increasing numbers playing the sport, with the amount of registered players going from 80,0000 to 120,0000. The FAW now want that number to grow to 160,000, including doubling the numbers of women and girls to 40,0000.
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