FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF WALES SEEKS £150M FOR FACILITY INVESTMENT

Football officials in Wales say £150m investment is required by the end of the decade to meet rising demand for facilities across the sport. The Football Association of Wales claims the sum is necessary to keep pace with participation growth recorded across the country. Noel Mooney, chief executive of the FAW, stated that the change of Welsh Government presented an "opportunity to reset how sport is funded in Wales". The FAW's charitable arm, the Cymru Football Foundation, has spent £27m developing facilities over the past four years, a figure the new consultation suggests must increase fivefold.

The consultation identified a 21% increase in overall participation numbers, with women and girls' participation rising by 47% and young player numbers increasing by a third. New Local Football Facility Plans have identified existing and new sites across 22 local authority areas to address gaps in provision. The survey found that 43% of grass pitches were designated as either poor or unclassified, whilst 18 of the 22 local areas lacked sufficient artificial surfaces. Mooney said investing in facilities was "essential for the future of the game" and would provide "essential positive, safe environments for our grassroots players to thrive".

The Welsh Government stated it would commission its own audit of regional sporting facilities, though a spokesman said football facilities remained "an important consideration". The FAW-backed review incorporated input from local clubs, local authorities and other sporting bodies to establish current facility provision. The plans now form the FAW's formal strategy for addressing infrastructure shortfalls across Wales.