Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Newport in talks to enter Welsh League Cup for European qualification

Transcript

00:002. Port Talbot Athletic 7. We played Cardiff City

00:11That was then, but could it happen again? Cardiff City drawing Port Talbot in the 1989

00:16Welsh Cup fourth round draw. Clubs from Wales were playing in the English Football League

00:21– currently Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Newport – having played in FAW competitions

00:25since 2008. But those clubs have now held discussions with the FAW about entering the

00:32Welsh League Cup for a chance to qualify for Europe. It's hoped the involvement of the

00:37EFL clubs could improve Wales' coefficient rating, which is weak mainly due to the poor

00:42performances of its clubs in Europe. Only this season did a club from the Welsh Pyramid

00:47qualify for the group stages of a major European competition, the New Saints making it to the

00:52groups of the Europa Conference League. Boosting Wales' coefficient rating would earn more

00:56prize money from UEFA, with the FAW planning to distribute some of that increased revenue

01:02across the game here. As for the clubs, all have a glamorous history of playing in Europe

01:07via Welsh Cup success. Cardiff beat Real Madrid in 1971, Wrexham beat Porto in 1984. How fans

01:14would cherish scenes like those again.