The Football Association of Wales is pleased to confirm that the Genero Adran Premier has been admitted to the European Leagues as an associate member.
Founded in 2005, the European Leagues is the voice of Professional Football Leagues across Europe on all matters of common interest. It aims to enhance and protect the national competitions run by the domestic leagues through collective representation, knowledge sharing, working groups and strategic taskforces as well as commercial opportunities.
Previously only men’s domestic leagues – including the JD Cymru Premier – had been part of the European Leagues’ membership, but the Genero Adran Premier has now become one of the first 14 women’s leagues to join the Association following approval at an Extraordinary General Assembly.
It means that Wales’ top-flight now has an enhanced opportunity to collaborate and exchange expertise with the likes of the Women’s Super League in England and Liga F in Spain, while contributing to discussions on the future development of professional football in Europe with governing bodies, stakeholders, EU and political institutions.
Jack Sharp, FAW Head of Domestic Leagues, said: “This is a key milestone for the European Leagues and women’s football across the continent, and one that we are delighted to be a part of.
“Through our existing membership of the Association in the men’s game, we have seen how valuable the opportunities of collaboration, knowledge sharing and collective strength are, and we look forward to being able to translate this to the women’s game for the betterment of our entire domestic pyramid.
“We are at the table with the biggest women’s leagues in Europe, but also those which are more comparable to our own, meaning we have the opportunity to learn and also become stronger through shared experiences.
“We are committed to ensuring that women’s football in Wales continues to grow and hard work is ongoing on the first bespoke strategy for the Adran Premier, which we look forward to sharing later this year. It is vitally important that this aligns with the wider FAW strategy and women’s and girls’ strategy, which are both also currently being worked on. This is a major opportunity to shape the future of the league for years to come, on and off the pitch.”
Claudius Schäfer, European Leagues President, said: “The formal integration of women’s professional leagues into European Leagues represents a historic moment for our Association and an important step in the continued development of domestic football across Europe. The growth of women’s football in recent years has been remarkable, with women’s leagues positioned at the centre of the sport’s development and future success.
“Through their membership, women’s leagues will play an active role in our activities and decision-making processes, ensuring their perspectives are fully represented.”
