Major Cymru Premier revamp announced for 2026/27 season

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has confirmed a major overhaul of the JD Cymru Premier, introducing a new 16-team format set to begin in the 2026/27 season.

The move follows an extensive review of league structures in line with the JD Cymru Premier strategy, which was released earlier this year.

The review aimed to enhance competition, increase fan engagement, and bolster the league’s commercial prospects.

Under the new structure, each club will face every other team twice—once at home and once away—over the first 30 matchdays.

After this, the league will split into three distinct groups to heighten competition.

The top six teams will enter the “Championship Race,” where they will play each other once more to determine the title winner.

The club leading the table after 35 matches will be crowned champions, while the second to sixth-placed teams will compete for European qualification.

Teams finishing seventh to tenth will battle in the “European Challenger” section, with the seventh-placed team earning the final spot in the European play-offs.

Meanwhile, clubs in positions 11 to 16, the “Survival Zone,” will face off to avoid relegation.

At the end of the season, the bottom two teams will face automatic relegation, and the 14th-placed team will enter a play-off against the runners-up of Cymru North and South to remain in the league.

FAW Head of Domestic Leagues, Jack Sharp, expressed excitement about the changes, stating, “We are delighted to finally be able to share the new JD Cymru Premier format for the 2026/27 season onwards. It was important that a structure could be identified that allows our clubs to flourish and creates a top-flight league the country can be proud of.”

The FAW highlighted several key reasons for this new format, including improving the connection between fans and clubs, increasing matchday excitement, and ensuring long-term sustainability for the league.

By adding a relegation play-off, the FAW hopes to inject further excitement and tension into the season’s final stages.

As the new format aims to boost both on-pitch quality and commercial growth, it is also designed to prepare top Welsh clubs for European competition.

The expanded league will bring greater geographical representation across Wales, potentially increasing fan engagement across different regions.

With the introduction of this revamped format, the FAW seeks to elevate the JD Cymru Premier’s profile, building on recent successes in Welsh football. Further details about the 2026/27 season will be released as the campaign approaches.

[Photo: X/Twitter @the_nomads]