The Welsh domestic season kicks off this weekend with Round One of the Nathaniel MG Cup and plenty of enticing ties are in store.
Cardiff City are wildcard entrants again after reaching the semi-finals last season and they begin this campaign by visiting Ammanford on Saturday afternoon.
The Bluebirds suffered penalty shootout heartbreak against Aberystwyth Town in the last four last term, with their side including Ronan Kpakio, who went on to earn a first call-up to the Cymru senior squad in June.
Ammanford – quarter-finalists in 2022/23 – were knocked out by wildcard opposition in Round Two last season as they lost 2-0 away at Merthyr Town. Wyn Thomas’ side have won just twice at The Rec since last November.
This season’s other wildcard side Swansea City will be hoping to avoid a second consecutive Round One exit when they travel to three-time winners Carmarthen Town.
The Swans reached the final of the competition in 2023/24, having won 4-0 against Carmarthen in the first round, but then suffered a penalty shootout defeat away at Baglan Dragons at this stage last season.
It has been a busy few weeks in the transfer window for Carmarthen who will hold promotion hopes in the JD Cymru South, but in this competition they have not made it past Round Two for six years.
Caersws are also three-time Nathaniel MG Cup winners and they begin the new campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Rhyl 1879.
The Bluebirds have lost in Round One in four of their last five appearances in the competition, while they have won just twice away from home since last August. Former player Craig Williams has been appointed as manager this summer.
Afan Lido were the winners of the first two editions of the Nathaniel MG Cup in the early 1990s, but have failed to make it past Round One in five of their last seven attempts.
Garry Taylor’s team travel to Llantwit Major on Saturday, but have only won one of their last eight meetings with the Windmill Lane side.
Rhyl won the Ardal North West title by 10 points last season, and after a host of new signings this summer, the Lilywhites will be a keen to make a statement before the league campaign kicks off.
Holyhead Hotspur finished as runners-up to Rhyl last season, but a play-off victory secured their return to the second tier after a two-year absence.
Darren Garmey’s side enjoyed a memorable run in the JD Welsh Cup last season as they knocked out top-flight Caernarfon Town and they begin their Nathaniel MG Cup campaign away at Buckley Town.
The Bucks finished fifth in the JD Cymru North last season and have won their last three Round One ties in this competition.
There is a Wrexham derby in Saturday’s early kick-off as Gresford Athletic face newly-promoted Brickfield Rangers.
Rangers clinched the Ardal North East title on the final day of last season and will now make their debut in the Nathaniel MG Cup which new signing Alex Darlington won six times as a TNS player.
Gresford reached back-to-back quarter-finals in 2022/23 and 2023/24 and it has been five years since they last failed to make it past Round One.
There is a repeat of a first round tie from last season on Friday night as Caerau Ely again host Trefelin.
The Young Guns ran out 2-1 winners 12 months ago before defeat to Goytre United in Round One, but created history in the JD Welsh Cup by reaching the quarter-finals.
Trefelin enjoyed a strong run of their own in the Welsh Blood Service League Cup as they claimed the Southern crown, while finishing fourth in the JD Cymru South.
Newly-promoted duo Ynyshir Albions and Cardiff Draconians face each other at the Ynyshir Oval on Saturday, with the visitors making their debut in the competition.
The Dracs won the Ardal South West title last season, with Albions finishing as runners-up before earning promotion via the play-off.
The side from the Rhondda have only appeared in the Nathaniel MG Cup once previously – when they lost 4-1 to Taffs Well in Round One in 2022/23.
The third newly-promoted side Treowen Stars make the trip to Cambrian United, with the two clubs also set to meet on the opening weekend of the JD Cymru South season.
The Stars won the Ardal South East title by 12 points last season and now make their debut in this competition, while Cambrian reached the semi-finals of the JD Welsh Cup last season and memorably got to the final of the Nathaniel MG Cup in 2019.
Denbigh Town were Nathaniel MG Cup finalists in 2016, but have only made it past the first round on two occasions since then.
The Reds travel to Bastion Gardens to face Flint Mountain in Round One this season, a fixture that promises entertainment if last season’s 4-4 draw between the two sides in the JD Cymru North is anything to go by.
Denbigh finished last season strongly, losing just one of their final eight league matches, while Mountain – who have seen manager Aden Shannon depart this summer – managed only one win in their last seven.
After surviving relegation in dramatic circumstances on the final day of last season, Ruthin Town begin the new campaign with a home tie against Penrhyncoch on Friday night.
Ruthin have not lost in the first round since 2019, reaching the quarter-finals three years ago. They have lost just one of their last eight meetings with Penrhyncoch.
The Roosters famously defeated The New Saints in this competition four years ago, but that was the only season that they have made it past Round One in their last six attempts.
Mark Dunford begins his reign as Pontypridd United manager with a first round tie at home to Cwmbran Celtic on Friday night.
Dunford led Trethomas Bluebirds to a second-place finish in their debut campaign in the JD Cymru South, but has now made the switch to Ponty who have reached the quarter-finals of the Nathaniel MG Cup in two of the last four seasons.
Cwmbran Celtic maintained their second tier status on the final day of last season, but have not won a Round One tie for four years. These two sides met in the competition in back-to-back seasons in 2020/21 and 2021/22, with Ponty winning on both occasions.
Guilsfield travel to Mold Alexandra on Friday night, with Gavin Allen’s side hoping to keep building momentum after finishing last season with five consecutive league wins.
The Guils reached the semi-finals of this competition two years ago, beating top-flight duo Newtown and then holders Bala Town along the way.
In contrast, Mold Alexandra have lost each of their last three Round One ties since their promotion back to the second tier.
Round One concludes on Sunday afternoon as last season’s third-place JD Cymru South side Newport City host Baglan Dragons.
The Steelmen were beaten by Llantwit Major on their competition debut last year, but new strike duo Kayne McLaggon and Nat Jarvis could be in line for competitive debuts.
The Dragons will be looking for another memorable first round triumph after beating former finalists Swansea City on penalties last year.
