Welsh Football

Football in Wales is one of the most popular sports throughout the country. Wales has produced club teams varying success since the early birth of football during the Victorian period, and in 1876 a Wales national football team played their first international match. Football has always had a close rivalry with the country's popular sport Rugby, and it is often discussed which of the two is most popular. The Football Association of Wales (FAW) was established in 1876 to oversee the Welsh national team and govern the sport in Wales as well as creating and running the Welsh football league system.

Welsh professional club teams traditionally played in the same leagues as their English counterparts, structured into regional divisions. This often resulted in teams from north and south Wales not facing each other as the transport links between the two regions were poor. In 1992 the Welsh Premier League was formed to create a national league. Six Welsh clubs who enjoyed success in the English leagues refused to join, but despite this the teams that come top of the Welsh Premier League have a greater chance of playing in European competition.

The Wales national team has struggled to find success at international level, with its only appearance in the World Cup occurring in 1958 although they reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016. This has led to some world-renowned players from Wales not being seen at the biggest international tournaments, though many of them have made a name for themselves at club level.