Ahead of the start of the 2026/27 Genero Adran Premier season on Sunday 6 September, we preview the new campaign club-by-club.
Wrexham made history last season by winning the Genero Adran Premier title for the first time, while also lifting the Genero Adran Trophy. Jenny Sugarman’s team then became the first Welsh club to win in Europe for seven years by triumphing 4-2 over Armenian side FC Pyunik in the UEFA Champions League in July.
Katie Barker starred with 25 goals in 20 league appearances last term to win the division’s Golden Boot and Player of the Season award, with the likes of Jodie Bartle and Faye Knox also impressing in their debut seasons in North Wales. The majority of the squad has been retained, with long-serving duo Rosie Hughes – the club’s record scorer – and Erin Lovett headlining the departures alongside Abbie Iddenden, Hannah Snape and Carra Jones.
There is no doubting the quality that has arrived in the transfer window. Jamaican international Natasha Thomas comes in after 11 years at Ipswich Town where she became the club’s record appearance maker and all-time top scorer, while new goalkeeper Lucy Farrell was called up to the Cymru senior squad in April. Mikayla Cook has been pinched from rivals Cardiff City, Lydia Sallaway joins on loan from Aston Villa and former Cymru U19 international Bella Reidford came through Manchester United’s academy.
After seeing their run of three consecutive league titles come to an end, Cardiff City will aim to regain the crown under new manager Noah Bushby who has stepped up from the assistant’s position to replace long-serving boss Iain Darbyshire. Bushby’s first game in charge was last season’s Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final, which the Bluebirds won for the fifth year in a row.
It has been a summer of significant change in the capital, with the likes of Ceryn Chamberlain, Lisa Owen, Megan Bowen and Mikayla Cook all departing following long associations with the club. Laura Curnock, Fiona Barry, Amy Long, Helen Evans and Nieve Rowbottom enjoyed shorter, but equally as successful, stints and have also exited.
It has meant recruitment has been no small task for Bushby, who has added seven new faces so far. Anna Houghton is perhaps the most familiar, joining from Cardiff Met, while former Cymru U19 international defender Ella Hilliard returns to the club. Irish winger Gillian Keenan, ex-Liverpool youngster Kate Oakley and well-travelled striker Haile Richards bolster the attacking options, while Mia Malone is a versatile midfielder and childhood City fan TJ Gauvain tightens the defence.
It is now four seasons without silverware for the historically successful Swansea City, a run that they will be desperate to end this campaign – particularly after throwing away a 3-0 lead in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final in May.
The Swans, who finished third in the league last season, have bid farewell to a significant amount of experience this summer as Stacey John, Steph Turner, Lucy Finch and Katy Hosford have all departed. However, Chloe Chivers will be key again after she enjoyed the best scoring season of her career last term by bagging 16 league goals.
18-year-old Aimee Deacon scored 11 league goals last term and is one of the division’s most exciting prospects, while her sister Lily (16) has joined the club this summer. The further signings of Quianna Wheeler (19), Aoife Sheridan (18) and Annabel Stokes (20) only emphasise a renewed focus on youth in SA1 under Yzzy Taylor.
There is plenty of excitement around The New Saints, who finished fourth last season but have enjoyed an eye-catching transfer window as they aim to climb the table in Kieran Lee-Birch’s first full season in charge.
Abbie Iddenden and Hannah Snape were both title winners with Wrexham last season and bolster an attack that already contains the ever-dangerous Chantelle Teare and Gibraltar international Caitlin Chapman. Fellow new arrivals Fiona Barry, Nieve Jenkins and the returning Helen Evans add further experience of lifting silverware after joining from Cardiff City.
The biggest departure has been 2025/26 Players’ Player of the Season Kelsey Richardson due to a change in work circumstances, while Yasmin Evans has left in search of regular minutes after recovering from an ACL injury. Teenagers Grace Dunkerley, Matilda Edge and Olivia Buckland have also exited.
Following relegation from the Genero Adran Premier in 2024/25, Cardiff Met bounced straight back to the top-flight by winning the Genero Adran South title before defeating Connah’s Quay Nomads on penalties in the promotion play-off last season.
However, the Archers have lost a number of key names over the summer, including 2025/26 Genero Adran South Player of the Season and Golden Boot winner Esme Kilburn-Thompson who has joined Gwalia United in the English pyramid. Meanwhile, Anna Houghton has departed for Cardiff City and Summer Kilby has made the switch to Barry Town United.
With no new signings announced so far, boss Jonathan Nash will know the challenge that awaits his side. The likes of Faith Mulenga, Celyn Garton and captain Olivia Barnes will aim to have learned from Met’s previous top-flight spell, while youngsters such as Megan Gladwyn, Scarlett Davies and goalkeeper Violet Bell – the hero in the promotion play-off shootout – will be keen to make an impression.
Having finished second in the 2024/25 season, Briton Ferry Llansawel slipped to fifth last season as Rhys Thomas last just eight months in the dugout before former boss Rhys James took interim charge for the remainder of the campaign.
U15s manager Mark Murison has now made the step up to lead the first team and has much the same squad at his disposal, with no major departures. Katy Hosford, a four-time Genero Adran Premier title winner during her stellar spell at Swansea City, is a major signing as she returns to playing after giving birth in January.
There is also plenty of exciting young talent coming through, with the Reds winning the Bute Energy U16s Cup last season. 16-year-old Freya Peyton became a regular over the course of 2025/26, while 15-year-old Maizie Stiens – who scored twice in that cup final triumph and has been capped by Cymru U16s – is tipped to follow a similar path this term.
Barry Town United have finished in sixth place with 24 points in both of the last two seasons but will aim to climb the table in what will be James Fishlock’s first full season in charge at Jenner Park after he replaced Stevie McCarthy-Campbell last October.
Anya Grunewald, Keira Harris, Isabella Caunt and Ellie Preece are the summer’s major departures, all opting for moves to the English pyramid, but plenty of experience remains with the likes of Erin Murray, Jasmine Turner and captain Emily Freeman. Last season’s top scorer, 19-year-old Beca Thomas, should also be key again.
The top-flight knowhow in the squad has been bolstered by the arrivals of Amy Long, Niamh Duggan and Summer Kilby, while supporters will be pleased to see Holly Jones join permanently after her successful loan spell from Cardiff City last term. Liv Barnett and Paige Parsons are both back at Jenner Park having previously played in academy, while incoming teenagers Ruby Medcraft, Aliyah Hull and Mollie Murgatroyd are exciting prospects.
Following consecutive seventh-place finishes, Aberystwyth Town will also hope to kick on up the standings under Rhys Jon James who certainly improved the Seasiders in his debut season in the Park Avenue dugout.
The biggest departure has come between the sticks as Sophie Steele moves on after an impressive three years at the club, but she has been replaced by Anna Phelps who brings top-flight experience from her time at Cardiff City and Pontypridd United. Llio Henshaw has starred in defence for Felinheli in the Genero Adran North in recent years and could prove to be an astute addition, while new midfielder Chloe Edwards has been capped by Cymru at U15 and U16 level.
Poppy Jones, Ffion Davies-Williams, Carys Davies-Williams, Sydney Pugh have all arrived from Llanidloes Town and will initially link up with the Under-19 side but are expected to push for first team opportunities. Rebecca Mathias, Shauna Chambers, Ffiona Evans and Amy Jenkins continue to provide an experienced spine, while Carys Bufton is the key attacking threat and scored a hat-trick on the final day of last season against Barry.
