The first piece of silverware of the season is up for grabs on Sunday 22 February as Wrexham take on Cardiff City in the Genero Adran Trophy final at Bangor City Stadium (KO 17:00).
Here is all the pre-match insight to get you ready for the final.
2026 Genero Adran Trophy Final
The season so far
Wrexham and Cardiff City are currently locked in an intense title race in the Genero Adran Premier, with the Bluebirds currently sitting four points clear at the top of the table but the Red Dragons have a game in hand.
Jenny Sugarman succeeded Steve Dale in the Wrexham dugout last summer and has transformed the team into serious title contenders for the first time, aided by a host of new signings such as Jodie Bartle, Katie Barker and Faye Knox. The Red Dragons have won 15 of their last 17 games in all competitions, only failing to beat Cardiff in that time.
Cardiff head to Bangor on a run of nine consecutive wins in all competitions, while they have not lost since the opening day of the league season against The New Saints. Iain Darbyshire has announced that this will be his last season at the club following a trophy-laden period in the dugout, as he pursues new opportunities abroad in the summer.
Both sides still hold hopes of winning the domestic treble this season and they meet in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup semi-finals in March – a week after a decisive league encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Road to the final
Both teams were big winners in the Round of 16 as Cardiff triumphed 7-0 at home over Flint Town United, while Mariam Mahmood scored a hat-trick in Wrexham’s 9-0 home victory against Llandudno.
The Red Dragons then needed a penalty shootout to get past Aberystwyth Town in the quarter-finals following a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes, before Faye Knox’s hat-trick inspired a 6-0 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel in the semi-finals. However, Rosie Hughes was shown a late red card in that tie, meaning she is suspended for Sunday’s final.
Cardiff delivered a memorable derby day performance to win 6-0 away at Swansea City in the quarter-finals, before they avenged last season’s exit against TNS with a 3-0 win away at Park Hall in the last four. It means that the Bluebirds have reached the final without conceding a goal in the competition this season.
Genero Adran Trophy record
Wrexham have never won the Genero Adran Trophy, while this is their first ever appearance in the final of the competition after losing to Swansea City in the semi-finals last season.
Cardiff City lifted the trophy for the first time in 2024, finally breaking a run of defeats in the three previous finals. The Bluebirds exited in the quarter-finals last season but have suffered no such despair this time around.
Head-to-head
Wrexham suffered eight consecutive defeats against Cardiff following promotion to the top-flight in 2023, before claiming back-to-back wins over their rivals in Phase Two of the Genero Adran Premier last season.
This term, their first league meeting at The Globe in October ended in a 1-1 draw as Cardiff’s Fiona Barry scored an 85th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot. Barry also netted late on in January’s reverse fixture in the capital as her stoppage time goal earned a dramatic 2-1 win for the Bluebirds.
Players to watch
Katie Barker – Wrexham
Newcastle United’s all-time women’s top scorer, Katie Barker departed the Toon in the summer to become one of Wrexham’s first full-time professionals alongside Jodie Bartle.
The 25-year-old has hit the ground running in north Wales, bagging 19 goals in 19 games in all competitions. Barker scored against every other Genero Adran Premier side in Phase One, while she heads into Sunday’s final with five goalsin her last three games in all competitions.
Madison Lloyd – Cardiff City
After starring for Pontypridd United in the first half of the season, Madison Lloyd returned to Cardiff in January and has continued her electric goalscoring form to complement the league leaders’ attacking riches.
The 18-year-old has 17 goals in 22 games in all competitions this season, including five in six since being back with the Bluebirds. Whether she starts or appears off the bench, Lloyd could make the difference in Bangor.
Pre-match views
Lili Jones, Wrexham: “We’ve worked so hard over the last few seasons and I feel like we’re really starting to establish a really good squad now. To bring some silverware home for the fans, for the coaches and for us who work so hard week in, week out, it would be quite rewarding to lift that trophy.”
Lisa Owen, Cardiff City: “Wrexham are a very good team. They’re very organised, they’ve got very good attacking players. But I think we’re just as good and I think we can compete with them no problem. It would mean everything to lift the trophy. As a player for Cardiff City, it’s what we want to do [win trophies]. It’s a good feeling.”
Match officials
Referee: Gemma Border
Assistant Referee 1: Laura Roberts
Assistant Referee 2: Katie Hannah
Fourth Official: Erin Brennan
The venue
Bangor City Stadium will host the Genero Adran Trophy Final for the first time, but it has been the venue for three previous men’s Welsh Cup finals and will also be one of the stadia in use at this summer’s men’s UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
Ticket information
All seating is unreserved. Tickets are still available to be bought online by clicking here, for the following prices (plus booking fee):
Adults – £5.00
Juniors (16 & Under) – £2.00
All tickets bought online will be digitally issued through the Cymru Tickets app. Tickets will then be available to buy on the gate on matchday for increased prices:
Adults – £8.00
Juniors (16 & Under) – £5.00
Television coverage
The Genero Adran Trophy final will be live on S4C, alongside BBC iPlayer, S4C Clic and Sgorio’s YouTube channel. Coverage will be begin at 16:45, with Welsh language commentary and English language commentary both available.
