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Welsh cup semi-finals to move from neutral grounds

Home-drawn clubs will host from 2026/27.

George Benn ·

Illustrative archive view of Cardiff City Stadium, 9 April 2011. Photo: Steve Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0; cropped. No semi-final host is identified.

Illustrative archive photograph of Cardiff City Stadium, 9 April 2011. Photo: Steve Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0; cropped. No semi-final host is identified.

Original photographCC BY-SA 2.0

Semi-finals in all Football Association of Wales cup competitions will move from neutral grounds to the venue of the club drawn at home from the 2026/27 season.

FAW announced the change on 15 September, following a trial in the Arena Projects Youth Cup and Bute Energy U16s Cup in 2025/26.

The association says men’s Welsh Cup semi-finals averaged 272 spectators over the last three seasons, 42% below the Cymru Premier average over the same period. It hopes home venues will attract more supporters and help clubs earn revenue.

During a transition period, away clubs in FAW Welsh Cup and Bute Energy Welsh Cup semi-finals will receive £1,000 each to compensate for missing the opportunity to host. The announcement does not state how long those payments will continue.

Funding previously reserved for the matches will instead support increased prize money across men’s and women’s domestic competitions. The announcement does not specify the increases.

Background and supporting figures

Where this sits

2 checked facts

  1. How does it compare?

    • FAW reports men’s Welsh Cup semi-finals averaged 272 spectators over the last three seasons, 42% below the Cymru Premier average over the same period.

      Football Association of Wales

    • Home-ground semi-finals were trialled in two cups in 2025/26; FAW is extending the approach to all its cup competitions in 2026/27.

      Football Association of Wales

Every line above was checked against the source named beside it before this piece was published.

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