On Saturday 2nd May, Penybont, who had managed to go through the entire Phase Two without winning a single game, defeated a particularly lacklustre Haverfordwest County 2-0 to triumph in the Cymru Premier Europa Play-Off Final and qualify for the preliminary round of the UEFA Conference League, qualifying for European competition for the third time in four seasons, after having experienced previous European adventures against Andorran outfit FC Santa Coloma and Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris, hoping that this time they can go one better and achieve their first continental victory.
Rhys Griffiths' side took an early lead, with veteran forward Chris Venables managing to outmuscle County defender Rhys Abbruzzese to find Ethan Cann's knock on and able to drill his effort home, despite complaints from the Bluebirds that Venables was offside. Penybont almost made it two when a simple ball over the top set up Owen Pritchard, only to see his attempt hit the bar. County, who had also made a slow start the previous week in their semi-final victory over Barry Town United, almost equalised when an attempt from Kyle Kenniford struck the upright after it had taken a strong deflection off Penybont's Ash Baker.
Following a particularly scrappy and unproductive start to the second half from both sides, Penybont increased their advantage when Mael Davies drifted into space on the left side of the box and then floated a cross over Bluebirds goalkeeper Ifan Knott and managed to drop into the top left corner. Penybont's impressive defence then held on firm as they prevented Haverfordwest from really creating any meaningful attacks into their box and held on comfortably for a return passage into European competition.
With TNS, Connah's Quay Nomads, Caernarfon, and Penybont having confirmed their places as Wales' European representatives, thoughts now turn to the 2026/2027 season and an expanded Cymru Premier, with the league increased to sixteen, rather than twelve, clubs. Six clubs - Airbus UK, Cambrian United, Holywell Town, Llandudno, Trefelin BGC and Ammanford - have been promoted to the Cymru Premier, with Airbus, Holywell (appearing in the top flight of Welsh domestic football for the first time since being relegated from the then 'League of Wales' in the 1998-99 season, and Llandudno all having experienced top flight football, while Cambrian, Trefelin and Ammanford will all be making their Cymru Premier bow.
The Football Association of Wales hoped that, in making changes to the league, it would help 'build the profile, brand and awareness of the league', to increase the number of people attending matches, and enhance the league's appeal to potential sponsors. Time will tell if indeed is the case.
In this new format, once the 16 teams have played each other home and away, the new split will then see the league divided into three tiers of six, four, and six clubs to compete for the title, European qualification and relegation.
The top six in the Cymru Premier - the so-called 'Championship Race' - will play each other once again, with the team who are top of the table after the 35th matchday crowned champions. Clubs finishing second to sixth will qualify for at least the end of season European play-offs. Those teams who finish between 7th to 10th - the 'European Challenger' - play each other once more, and the team who are seventh after the 33rd matchday will claim the final spot in the end-of-season European play-offs. Finally, those teams who finish between 11th and 16th - described as the 'Survival Zone' (one can see a lot of thought went into these descriptions of the various tiers of the new format) - also play each other again. At the end of the 35th matchday, the clubs who finish 15th and 16th will be automatically relegated, while the club who finish in 14th will compete in the relegation play off, where they will meet the winner of the match between the runner-up in the Cymru North and the Cymru South for the right to remain in the league.
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