FAW seeks more funding as Wales launches ten-year football plan

The Football Association of Wales has launched Llunio Cymru, a strategy covering 2026 to 2036 that aims to expand participation and improve the national teams. In its announcement on Monday, the FAW said the plan followed more than 3,000 contributions gathered through consultations, workshops and other sessions across Wales.

Funding is a central challenge. Chief executive Noel Mooney told BBC Sport Wales that the association needed greater support from the Welsh Government and the country's 22 local authorities. He said more than £30 million had been spent building pitches over the past four years, but that substantial further work remained despite the FAW's increasing resources.

BBC Sport reported that the programme includes a target of 100 new or improved pitches by 2030. A recent review put the cost of meeting local authority areas' facilities needs at £150 million. Mooney argued that the current £13 million for capital expenditure fell well short of what was required to deliver the improvements.

Mooney said discussions with the new Welsh Government had given him confidence, according to the BBC. He linked the case for additional investment to football's role in preventative health. The broadcaster also reported plans to double investment in the women's and girls' game, with a dedicated strategy due to be launched next month.

The FAW's published participation targets include increasing registered players from 120,000 to 160,000 by 2036, with at least 20,000 additional women and girls. It also wants to halve departures from football among players aged 12 to 17. Projects will focus on the country's 100 most diverse and deprived communities, alongside expanded opportunities for disabled people to take part.

At international level, the association wants the men's and women's teams to appear at half of major tournaments and reach the world's top 20 and top 24 respectively. The strategy also targets more qualified coaches and, by 2035, a qualified neutral referee for every competitive match at under-12 level and above. These remain objectives for the coming decade, rather than achieved results.