Club Licensing: Men’s Tier 3 First Instance Body

The FAW Men’s Tier 3 First Instance Body met on 13 & 14 May 2025 to consider the Tier 3 Licensing Applications for the 2025/26 season.

The Panel assessed 121 applicants for the men’s Tier 3 Certification. 85 of the 121 applications for a Tier 3 licence have been successful, including 56 of the current Ardal North and Ardal South clubs and 28 clubs in Tier 4.

Clubs are assessed on the following criteria:

• Sporting: Youth & Coaching
• Infrastructure
• Personnel & Administration
• Legal

The FAW Men’s Tier 3 Licence is required for clubs to participate in the Ardal North & Ardal South for the 2025/26 season. 

The Club Licensing system aims to assist the continual improvement and development of football clubs within Wales. Licensing is a transparent process that enables clubs to demonstrate to their stakeholders that they meet quality standards. 

Following today’s meeting, the independent First Instance Body has decided on the following:

Awarded Tier 3 Men’s Licence for 2025/26 season (85 clubs) 

Existing Tier 2 clubs, following a Tier 2 Licence refusal:

Flint Mountain

Existing Tier 3 North clubs:

1. Bow Street
2. Brickfield Rangers
3. Builth Wells
4. Cefn Albion
5. Chirk AAA
6. Connah’s Quay Town
7. Conwy Borough
8. Corwen
9. CPD Llanefydd
10. CPD Pwllheli
11. CPD Y Felinheli
12. CPD Y Rhyl 1879
13. Dolgellau AA
14. Holyhead Hotspur
15. Kerry
16. Llandrindod Wells
17. Llanfair United
18. Llangefni Town
19. Llanidloes Town
20. Llanrwst United
21. Llanuwchllyn
22. Menai Bridge Tigers
23. Nantlle Vale
24. NFA
25. Penycae
26. Porthmadog
27. Radnor Valley
28. St Asaph City
29. Trearddur Bay

Existing Tier 3 South clubs:

1. Abercarn United
2. Abergavenny Town
3. Abertillery Bluebirds
4. AFC Llwydcoed
5. Blaenavon Blues
6. Brecon Corries
7. Bridgend Street
8. Caldicot Town
9. Canton
10. Cardiff Corinthians
11. Cefn Cribwr
12. Chepstow Town
13. Croesyceiliog
14. Evans & Williams
15. Goytre
16. Morriston Town
17. Pontardawe Town
18. Pontyclun
19. Seven Sisters Onllwyn
20. South Gower
21. Swansea University
22. Treharris Athletic Western
23. Treherbert Boys and Girls
24. Treowen Stars
25. Undy
26. Ynyshir Albions
27. Ynysygerwn

Existing Tier 4 South Wales FA clubs:

1. Caerphilly Athletic
2. Cardiff Airport
3. FC Cwmaman
4. Llantwit Fardre
5. Penydarren BGC
6. Port Talbot Town

Existing Tier 4 West Wales FA clubs:

1. Cwmamman United
2. Garden Village
3. Mumbles Rangers

Existing Tier 4 Gwent County FA clubs:

1. Abertillery Excelsiors
2. Cwmbran Town
3. Lliswerry
4. Monmouth Town
5. Newport Saints
6. Rogerstone
7. RTB Ebbw Vale

Existing Tier 4 Central Wales FA clubs:

1. Carno
2. Four Crosses
3. Knighton Town
4. Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant

Existing Tier 4 North East Wales FA clubs:

1. Hawarden Rangers
2. Lex XI
3. Mynydd Isa
4. Saltney Town

Existing Tier 4 North Wales Coast FA clubs:

1. Bethesda Athletic
2. CPD Nefyn United
3. Kinmel Bay
4. Penmaenmawr Phoenix

Refused FAW Men’s Tier 3 Licence for 2025/26 season (23 clubs)

Existing Tier 2 clubs:

1. Prestatyn Town – Refused on Infrastructure
2. Taffs Well – Refused on Personnel

Existing Tier 3 clubs:

1. Cardiff Draconians – Refused on Infrastructure
2. Clydach – Refused on Infrastructure & Personnel
3. CPD Rhos Aelwyd – Refused on Personnel
4. Llangollen Town – Refused on Personnel
5. Llansantffraid Village – Refused on Personnel
6. Newport Corinthians – Refused on Personnel
7. Risca United – Refused on Infrastructure
8. Tredegar Town – Refused on Personnel

Existing Tier 4 clubs:

1. Aber Valley – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
2. Berriew – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
3. Bow – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
4. Coedpoeth United – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
5. Cwm Wanderers – Refused on Infrastructure & Personnel
6. Forden United – Refused on Personnel
7. Giants Grave – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
8. Greenfield – Refused on Infrastructure & Personnel
9. Gwalchmai – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
10. Mochdre Sports – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
11. Porthcawl Town Athletic – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal
12. Rhayader Town – Refused on Infrastructure & Personnel
13. Rhostyllen – Refused on Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel & Legal

Withdrawn FAW Men’s Tier 3 Licence Applications for 2025/2026 season (13 clubs)

1. Bontnewydd
2. Cemaes Bay
3. CPD Penrhyndeudraeth
4. CPD Y Glannau
5. Ely Rangers
6. Glantraeth
7. Llanfairfechan Town
8. Pencoed Athletic
9. Penlan
10. Pontarddulais Town
11. Rockspur Seniors
12. St Josephs (Swansea)
13. Welshpool Town

The FIB Panel extended its congratulations to those clubs successful in attaining Tier 3 licence. 

Those clubs who have been refused a Licence by the First Instance Body have ten days in which to submit an appeal.