TNS support plans that will see them compete with Welsh giants

TNS this season became the first Cymru Premier side to reach the group stages of a European competition when they qualified for the Uefa Conference League league phase, but it is three decades since a Welsh EFL team has represented the country in European competition under the Welsh flag.

And though it could effectively take away a European place from the Cymru Premier, TNS believe the benefits outweigh this negative and would bring much-needed funds and exposure to the Welsh domestic game - as well as helping to increase the country's Uefa coefficient ranking, which currently stands at 49th of the 55 nations.

This season, Cymru Premier champions TNS had to enter the Champions League in the first qualifying round, but an improved coefficient ranking could see them come in at a later stage in the future - vastly improving their chances of repeating their run to league phase.

A statement from the Saints read: "The New Saints expresses support, in principle, for proposed reforms to the Welsh League Cup.

"As a club, we believe this move will bring a number of benefits, including increased brand recognition for the JD Cymru Premier and an increase in our Uefa country coefficient ranking which will generate more investment for the game in Wales.

"In turn, this will lead to more Welsh clubs competing in the league phase of UEFA club competitions like The New Saints this season, increasing revenue for all clubs.

"A key part of the new JD Cymru Premier strategy was raising the profile of our domestic game, and this exciting new competition, similar to the FAW Premier Cup which came before it, will help attract new fans and a much wider audience for the domestic game.

"We look forward to these exciting plans coming to fruition."

Wrexham were the last Welsh EFL club to qualify for Europe through a domestic pathway – playing in the 1995-96 Cup Winners’ Cup – although Swansea played in the Europa League under an English banner after winning the EFL Cup in 2013.

The FAW says Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham have agreed to exclude any profit derived from representing Wales in Europe from financial regulations in the EFL or English Premier League.