FAW League One

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 ( 2022–23 Ardal NE season)
** Ardal North West ( 2022–23 Ardal NW season)
*Ardal Southern
** Ardal South East ( 2022–23 Ardal SE season)
** Ardal South West ( 2022–23 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.

2022–23 season

The following clubs are league members for the 2022–23 season.

Ardal NE

* Berriew ''(resigned July 2022)''
* Bow Street
*Builth Wells
* Caersws
* Cefn Albion
* Corwen
* Dolgellau Athletic
* Llandrindod Wells
* Llanfair United
* Llangollen Town
* Llanrhaeadr
*Llanuwchllyn
* Machynlleth ''(withdrew July 2022)''
* Penycae
* Rhos Aelwyd
* Rhayader Town
*Welshpool Town

Ardal NW

* Bangor 1876
* Bodedern Athletic
* Brickfield Rangers
* Denbigh Town
* Flint Mountain
* Hawarden Rangers
* Llandudno Albion
* Llangefni Town
* Llanrwst United
* Llay Welfare
* Nantlle Vale
* Rhostyllen
*Rhydymwyn ''(resigned Sept 2022)''
* Rhyl 1879
* Saltney Town
*Y Felinheli

Ardal SE

* Abertillery Bluebirds
* Blaenavon Blues
* Brecon Corries
* Caldicot Town
* Chepstow Town
*Croesyceiliog
*Goytre
* Lliswerry
* Monmouth Town
*Newport City
* Risca United
* RTB Ebbw Vale
* Tredegar Town
* Treowen Stars
* Trethomas Bluebirds
* Undy Athletic

Ardal SW

* AFC Llwydcoed
* Baglan Dragons
* Caerau Ely
* Cardiff Draconians
*Cefn Cribwr
* Cwmamman United
*Dinas Powys
* Garden Village
*Mumbles Rangers
* Penrhiwceiber Rangers
* Penydarren BGC
* Pontyclun
*Port Talbot Town
* Seven Sisters Onllwyn
* Treharris Athletic
* Ynysygerwn

League champions, runners-up/promotion play-off finalists, relegated teams, and Fair Play winners

Ardal NE

Ardal NW

Ardal SE

Ardal SW

Promotion play-offs

Ardal NE and Ardal NW

= Ardal SE and Ardal SW

=

Applicants for FAW Tier 3 Certification

For the 2020–21 season 93 clubs applied for FAW tier 3 Certification. 84 clubs were successful in their applications.

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

{{UEFA third leagues

2
2020 establishments in Wales
Sports leagues established in 2020
Third level football leagues in Europe