Officials set to decide on Cymru Premier re-start
A decision on whether football will resume in the top three divisions in Wales looks set to be taken on Friday.
Prior to the festive period, the FAW chose to postpone the Christmas and New Year fixtures across the top three leagues in Wales – after the Welsh Government banned fans from entering sporting events due to the rise of the Omicron variant. The FAW cited difficult financial situations clubs would have to face if they were forced to play games behind closed doors and without supporters.
That meant the traditional Boxing Day and New Year fixtures were postponed and rearranged for a later date – with FAW officials stating all football would be cancelled until January 9.
In an update on the situation, Cymru Premier general manager Gwyn Derfel has said that officials are in constant dialogue and a decision is set to be made on Friday.
He said: “We are in constant dialogue with the Welsh Government regarding the situation.”
In the Cymru Premier, the first game that is set to be played following the potential restart of the top three leagues is Cardiff Met against Barry Town on Tuesday, and that is followed by a full list of fixtures on Friday, January 14.
However, at the moment, it is not known whether those games will be played behind closed doors or with supporters.
The Welsh Government has said it is reviewing the situation every seven days – but no indication has been given on when they will potentially scale back on restrictions in the country.
The postponement of fixtures prior to the festive period was welcomed by a number of clubs – however, The New Saints chairman Mike Harris questioned the and insisted he was concerned about the integrity of the league.
He said: “Two years ago the Cymru Premier title was effectively chosen by a toss of a coin and I am concerned about the integrity of our league.
“A football supporter living in Wales could jump in their car and travel to any football matches across England, but these rules mean nobody could attend a match in their home town or village.
“A capped attendance would have made more sense, similar to Scotland, with clubs compensated for their loss of revenue.”
