Preamble

1st September in one (1) year to 31st August in the following year.

Academy:

an establishment for the coaching and education of Players operated by a Club in accordance with the requirements of the Association’s Academy Regulations.

Adran North and Adran South:

the second Tier of the women’s Pyramid League System.

Adran North Representative:

the Councillor nominated or elected to represent the Adran North.

the premier league for the playing of Association Football by female Players in Wales, previously known as the “Welsh Premier Women’s League”.

Adran Premier Representative:

the Councillor nominated or elected to represent the Adran Premier.

Adran South Representative:

the Councillor nominated or elected to represent the Adran South.

competitions in which predominantly Amateur Players may participate, as sanctioned by the Association from time to time.

a Player who is not a Professional Player. 

the annual period, as determined by the Directors pursuant to Rule 138.3, when Amateur Players (other than those to whom the Professional Registration Periods apply under Rule 138.2) may be registered with the Association.

a written notice stipulating the nature of the appeal and requesting that such matter be referred to the Appeals Panel. 

the second instance Panel of the Association empowered to hear disciplinary matters and disputes pursuant to Section E of these Rules. 

the appropriate sum pursuant to Rule 44.1.3. 

the appropriate sum pursuant to Rule 45.3. 

a written notice stating the nature of the matter complained of and requesting that such matter be referred to the Independent Arbitration Panel.

 the third Tier of the Pyramid League System (of which the Ardal Leagues Northern and Ardal Leagues Southern are the two constituent organisations).

Ardal Leagues Northern Representatives:

the three (3) nominated or elected Councillors for the Ardal Leagues Northern.

Ardal Leagues Southern Representatives:

the three (3) nominated or elected Councillors for the Ardal Leagues Southern.

any regional football association defined pursuant to Rule 11.1.2. 

a person or organisation who is not a Member and has been admitted into associate membership of the Association by the Directors puruant to Rule 11.2.

The Football Association of Wales Limited (company number 00213349) whose registered office is at The Pavilion, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan, CF72 8JY.

the game controlled by FIFA and organised in accordance with the Laws of the Game.

any two consecutive transfers, national or international, of the same Player connected to each other and comprising a registration of that Player with the middle club to circumvent the application of the relevant regulations or laws and/or defraud another person or entity.

any day of the week except a Saturday or Sunday or public bank holiday in Wales.

Court of Arbitration for Sport (Tribunal Arbitral du Sport) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Chief Executive Officer:

the senior employee of the Association.

a person’s spouse or civil partner, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild or sibling.

a game of Association Football (or a modified version of the game) which is not an Official Match which is played between two (2) teams (whether or not from different Clubs) but is not made open for the public to attend.

the period in each year which is outside the Playing Season, as determined by the Directors pursuant to Rule 138.1.

all clubs whose teams play in Official Matches including, without limitation, Qualifying Clubs. 

a team of a further or higher education establishment (including, but not limited to, university teams) and during any relevant Playing Season only plays Association Football exclusively in matches organised for teams from such further or higher education establishments.

the designated date(s) in each Playing Season set by the Directors for the completion of each round of cup matches in competitions organised by the Association. 

the shareholders of the Association being the supreme body of the Association.

each member of the Council.

Cymru North and Cymru South:

the second Tier of the men's Pyramid League System.

Cymru North Representative:

the Councillor nominated or elected to represent the Cymru North.

the premier league for the playing of Association Football by male Players in Wales, previously known as the “Welsh Premier League”.

Cymru Premier Representative:

Cymru South Representative:

the Councillor nominated or elected to represent the Cymru South.

the deputy president of the Association, appointed from time to time under the Rules.

the body comprising the board of directors of the Association (including its committees and sub-committees) as constituted under the articles of association of the Association current from time to time.

a written notice from the Association stipulating the nature of the alleged Disciplinary Offence.

any breach of a Rule or any Regulation.

the first instance panel of the Association empowered to hear disciplinary matters and disputes pursuant to Section E of these Rules.

any act or omission defined as a doping Offence (or any equivalent term or phrase) used to define doping offences or doping breaches defined in the Anti-Doping Regulations.

FAW Performance Programmes:

an establishment for the coaching and education of female Players operated by the Association.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

the statutes of FIFA as amended from time to time and all rules, regulations, orders and other directives issued by FIFA from time to time.

the worldwide unique identifier given by FIFA.

all amounts (whether actual or contingent and whether payable now or in the future) due to the Association, and any Qualifying Club or other club, any National League or other league, any Area Association or any Player, manager or coach.

a game controlled by FIFA and organised in accordance with the Futsal Laws of the Game.

Futsal Laws of the Game:

the laws and other rules for playing Futsal prescribed by FIFA from time to time.

Association Football played in leagues which are not in membership of and are not directly affiliated to the Association.

the International Football Association Board.

the independent body empowered to hear disciplinary matters and disputes pursuant to Section E of these Rules.

any person or entity so defined in the Association’s Agent Regulations.

the International Transfer Certificate issued by one national association to another in accordance with the FIFA Rules.

the Association’s judicial bodies comprise the Disciplinary Panel, Appeals Panel and Independent Arbitration Panel, and any independent chairperson who adjudicates on provisional measures.

a league playing Association Football (or a modified small-sided version of the game) in Wales which is exclusively for Junior Players.

any Player in Academic Years one (1) to eleven (11) (or twelve (12) pursuant to Rule 88 and/or Rule 137).

the laws and other rules for playing Association Football as prescribed by IFAB from time to time.

a person becoming a life member of the Council pursuant to either Rule 12.12 or Rule 19.

a referee, assistant referee, or fourth official for a match as prescribed in the Laws of the Game or the Futsal Laws of the Game (as applicable).

a minimum period of 14 weeks’ paid absence granted to a female Professional Player due to her pregnancy, of which a minimum period of 8 weeks must occur after the birth of the child, or such longer periods as may be prescribed under applicable law or an applicable collective bargaining agreement.

a Councillor, Area Association, National League or Qualifying Club or other organisation that has been admitted into membership of the Association by the Directors puruant to Rule 11.1.

any league defined pursuant to Rule 11.1.3.

the area of Wales so designated by the Directors pursuant to Rule 14 and “Area” and “sub-Area” shall be construed accordingly.

North Wales Representatives:

the six (6) nominated or elected Councillors for the North Wales Area.

the senior representatives of the Council, who shall comprise the President, the Deputy President and two (2) Vice-Presidents.

a game of Association Football played within the framework of organised football under the jurisdiction of the Association, in league, cup or other format but not including Open Friendly Matches or Closed Friendly Matches or matches played under the Association’s Small-Sided Football Regulations or Futsal matches or Walking Football.

a game of Association Football which is not an Official Match which is played between two (2) teams (whether or not from different Clubs) and is made open to the public to attend.

any Judicial Body.

a person becoming a life member of the Council pursuant to Rule 12.11.

a player of Association Football (or a modified small-sided version of the game), whether an Amateur Player or a Professional Player.

the period in each year when Official Matches may be played in Wales as determined by the Directors pursuant to Rule 138.1.

the president of the Association appointed from time to time under the Rules.

Association Football competitions in which both Professional Players and Amateur Players may participate, as sanctioned by the Association from time to time.

a player who has a written contract with his/her Club and is paid by his/her Club more for his/her footballing activities for the Club than the expenses he/she effectively incurs in performing his/her obligations to the Club.

the two (2) annual periods, as determined by the Directors pursuant to Rule 138.2, when Professional Players (and those Amateur Players referred to in Rule 138.2) may be registered with the Association.

the men's or women's pyramid league system (as applicable) for the playing of competitive league Association Football in Wales at various levels (“Tiers”), as approved by the Association from time to time.

any club defined pursuant to Rule 11.1.1.

two (2) signatures by the secretary (or equivalent) and the chairperson (or equivalent) of a Qualifying Club, National League or Area Association, in each case with the signatories signing personally.

the regulations, byelaws, orders, codes, policies, procedures and any other directive or instruction issued by the Association from time to time.

any of the various representatives described in Rules 13 and 13(A).

the appropriate sum pursuant to Rule 43.2.3.

a written notice stipulating the nature of the matter complained of and requesting that such matter be referred to the Disciplinary Panel.

these rules of the Association as amended from time to time.

the period, normally of twelve (12) months’ duration, as determined by the Directors pursuant to Rule 138.2.

the area of Wales so designated by the Directors pursuant to Rule 14 and “Area” and “sub-Area” shall be construed accordingly.

South Wales Representatives:

the six (6) nominated or elected Councillors for the South Wales Area.

shall mean:- 

• any director, member, representative, official, employee, all coaching and technical staff and any other playing official of a Club, Area Association, National League or Associate Member; 
• any Match Official, match observer, match assessor or match delegate; 
• any Player or Futsal Player; 
• every spectator at a game of Association Football in which a team of a Club plays, or in which a representative team of an Area Association, National League or Associate Member plays, and any person purporting to be a supporter or follower of such Member (where applicable); 
• all other organisations, clubs, bodies, entities or persons who are members of, or affiliated to, or over whom a Club, Area Association, National League or Associate Member exercises, or purports to exercise, control; and 
• any Intermediary.

a Club which is not a Member of the Association and during any relevant Playing Season only plays Association Football on a Sunday. 

any non-Player listed on the official team list for any match including, without limitation, any coach, physiotherapist, or doctor.

the Transfer Matching System in place from time to time under the FIFA Rules.

payable in accordance with the FIFA Rules or the Association’s Domestic Training Compensation Regulations.

a Player who is under assessment and evaluation by a Club as to their ability and fitness to play Association Football for a Club but who is not registered with the Association to play for that Club. 

Union des Association Européennes de Football.

the statutes of UEFA as amended from time to time and all rules, regulations, orders and other directives issued by UEFA from time to time.

value added tax at the rate set from time to time.

a Club which is not a Member of the Association and during any relevant Playing Season only plays Association Football in matches organised exclusively for persons over thirty-five (35) years of age.

a vice-president of the Association appointed from time to time under the Rules.

a modified version of Association Football in which Players of all ages can participate and in which the Players must not run and/or jog and must have one foot on the ground at all times in accordance with the Regulations set by the Association from time to time.

means:-

• a league playing Association Football in Wales which is exclusively for Youth Players; and
• the development leagues currently known as Cymru Premier Development League North, Cymru Premier Development League South, Adran Under 19's North and Adran Under 19's South and any other development leagues which are primarily for Youth Players but which permits older Players to participate in matches to such extent as may be approved by the Directors from time to time.

any Player who is aged sixteen (16), seventeen (17) or eighteen (18) registered to play in a Youth League and includes for the whole of the Playing Season any Player who reaches nineteen (19) years of age during that Playing Season.