Wrexham could qualify for Europe by new entry into tournament

Wrexham could be destined for European football amid reported talks over their participation in a Welsh tournament.

The League One promotion hopefuls are one of four sides from Wales who play in the English football pyramid.

They are joined by Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County, and can compete in the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

As of now, the four clubs can only qualify for European football via a top five Premier League finish, which is impossible this season as none of them are in the top flight, or by winning either of the cups.

However, this could change as the BBC report that they have been in discussions with the Football Association of Wales [FAW] over playing in the Welsh League Cup.

It is said it could offer them the chance to be a Welsh representative in the UEFA Conference League, Europe’s third tier competition.

The Welsh tournament, which is also known as the Nathaniel MG Cup, was founded in 1992 and only features teams from the Cymru Premier, Cymru North and Cymru South, plus other selected sides.

Swansea, Cardiff, Wrexham and Newport would still play in England but would not be able to qualify for Europe through the Premier League, FA Cup or Carabao Cup if they enter the Welsh League Cup.

All four clubs have presented ‘Project Wales’ alongside the FAW to UEFA, the FA [Football Association], the Premier League and Cymru Premier sides.

It is said that teams who currently play in the Welsh pyramid would ‘welcome’ the opportunity to play their compatriots.

Wales sit 50th out of 55 in UEFA’s association coefficient rankings, with their clubs’ poor performances in European competitions a key factor in this.

However, there is hope that Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Newport’s proposed involvement in the Welsh League Cup could help raise their ranking to at least 40th.

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The New Saints won last season’s competition to extend their record tally to ten as they beat Swansea’s U21 side 5-1 in the final. The latter club were given a wildcard spot along with Cardiff’s U21s.

However, they qualified for Europe by becoming Cymru Premier champions for the 16th time, entering the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

They beat Montenegrin side FK Decic over two legs but exited at the second round stage with defeat to Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros to drop into the Europa League third qualifying round.

The New Saints faced Petrocub Hincesti of Moldova, although were defeated again and fell into the Conference League play-off round.

However, The New Saints then beat Lithuanian outfit Panevezys to become the first team in the Welsh pyramid to reach the group stage – now league phase – in one of Europe’s major competitions.

Two-time Champions League winners Chelsea, as well as Real Betis and FC Copenhagen, are notable potential opponents should they reach the Conference League knockout stage.

Such possible tests therefore make qualification for European football even more attractive for the Welsh clubs playing in the English leagues.

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Swansea were the last team from Wales to play in Europe as they reached the Europa League round of 32 in 2014 following their Capital One Cup triumph the season before.

Cardiff most recently played continental football in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup thanks to their Welsh Cup victory, losing 8-3 on aggregate to Standard Liege in the first round.

Wrexham played in the same competition in the following season after their Welsh Cup triumph but were knocked out by Petrolul Ploiesti in the qualifying round.

Newport won the Welsh Cup in 1980 to also qualify for the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in which they reached the quarter-finals in the 1980/81 season but lost out on a final four spot to FC Carl Zeiss Jena.