To save this page to your bookmarks
On a Windows device: Windows key + D
On a Mac: CMD + D
On a mobile device: Look for the star icon
RulesSection A - Composition of the Association
1. The Rules shall at all times be read and constructed in conjunction with the FIFA Rules and the UEFA Rules and in the case of conflict between these Rules and the FIFA Rules or UEFA Rules, the FIFA Rules or UEFA Rules shall prevail, and in the case of conflict between the FIFA Rules and UEFA Rules, the FIFA Rules shall prevail.
2. The objectives of the Association are:-
2.1 throughout Wales, to improve the game of Association Football constantly and promote, regulate and control it in the light of fair play and its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, particularly through youth and development programmes;
2.2 throughout Wales, to organise competitions, and authorise others to organise competitions, in Association Football in all its forms at all levels, by defining precisely, as required, the areas of authority of the various Area Associations and National Leagues;
2.3 to draw up all necessary Regulations to implement its rights, powers and objectives under these Rules and such measures and procedures as may be necessary to ensure their enforcement;
2.4 to protect the interests of its Members;
2.5 to comply with and prevent any infringement of the FIFA Rules and UEFA Rules and all decisions of FIFA, UEFA and the Association as well as the Laws of the Game and the Futsal Laws of the Game and ensure compliance with these by its Members;
2.6 throughout Wales, to prevent all methods or practices which might jeopardise the integrity of football matches or competitions or give rise to abuse of Association Football;
2.7 throughout Wales, to control and supervise all friendly football matches of all forms;
2.8 to manage the international sporting relations of Wales connected with Association Football in all its forms;
2.9 to host in Wales Association Football competitions at international and other levels;
2.10 to be neutral in matters of politics and religion and in discharging its functions, the Association will not discriminate against a country, private person, or group of people, or other entity, on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics, age or any other reason and will ensure compliance with these obligations by its Members; and
2.11 to promote friendly relations between its Members, Associate Members and Subordinates and in society for humanitarian objectives.
3. Every Member, Associate Member, Subordinate or other person or organisation involved in the game of Association Football and/or Futsal in Wales shall observe these Rules and the Regulations and the principles of fair play as well as the principles of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship. The Directors may from time to time prescribe at their absolute discretion that an Associate Member is exempt from complying with certain Rules and/or Regularions.
4. The Association shall provide the necessary institutional means to resolve any internal dispute that may arise between Members, Associate Members, Subordinates or other person or organisations involved in the game of Association Football and/or Futsal in Wales.
5. The status of Players and the provisions for their transfer shall be regulated by the Association in accordance with the FIFA Rules and Players shall be registered in accordance with these Rules.
6. The Association and each of its Members and Associate Members which play Association Football will do so in compliance with the Laws of the Game and only the IFAB shall lay down and alter the Laws of the Game. The Association and each of its Members and Associate Members which play Futsal will do so in compliance with the Futsal Laws of the Game and only FIFA shall lay down and alter the Futsal Laws of the Game.
7. Members and Associate Members shall have the following obligations (as applicable):-
7.1 to comply fully with the FIFA Rules, UEFA Rules and the Rules and Regulations at all times and to ensure that these are also complied with fully by its Subordinates;
7.2 to ensure the election of its decision-making bodies;
7.3 to take part in competitions and other sports activities organised by the Association;
7.4 to pay its membership subscriptions to the Association;
7.5 to respect the Laws of the Game and/or the Futsal Laws of the Game and to ensure that these are also respected by its Subordinates through an appropriate provision in its own membership rules;
7.6 to adopt and enforce an appropriate provision in its own membership rules specifying that any dispute requiring resolution involving itself or one of its Subordinates and relating to the Rules and Regulations and any decisions of the Association, or equivalent of an Area Association or National League or Associate Member, shall, at the appropriate stage in the dispute, come solely under the jurisdiction of the appropriate Judicial Body or the panel under Rule 146, as the case may be;
7.7 not to make any change or any amendment of its own membership rules without the approval of the Directors;
7.8 to communicate to its own members any amendment of its own membership rules;
7.9 not to maintain any relations of a sporting nature with entities that are not recognised by FIFA, UEFA or the Association or with Members or Associate Members that have been suspended or expelled by the Association;
7.10 to observe the principles of loyalty, integrity and good sporting behaviour as an expression of fair play through an appropriate provision in its own membership rules;
7.11 to keep and update regularly a register of its members; and
7.12 to comply fully with all other duties arising from the FIFA Rules, UEFA Rules, the Rules and Regulations, and violation of the above-mentioned obligations by any Member or Associate Member may lead to penalties provided for in these Rules.
8. Members (excluding individual Councillors) and Associate Members shall be subordinate to, and recognised by, the Association. These Rules define the scope of authority and the rights and duties of the Members and Associate Members.
9. Each Member and Associate Member shall take all decisions on any matters regarding its membership of the Association independently of any external body. Where the Member or Associate Member is not an individual, this obligation applies regardless of its corporate structure.
10. No natural or legal person (including, without limitation, holding companies or subsidiaries) shall exercise control over more than one Qualifying Club or other club playing Association Football in Wales whenever the integrity of any match or competition could be jeopardised.
11. Membership:-
11.1 The Members shall comprise the following:-
11.1.1 a Qualifying Club means a club playing Association Football according to these Rules and:-
11.1.1.1 who play in the divisions of the National Leagues as the Directors shall prescribe in their absolute discretion from time to time; or
11.1.1.2 who has enjoyed fifteen (15) years continuous membership of the Association whether or not still playing in the relevant divisions of the National Leagues prescribed by the Directors under Rule 11.1.3; or
11.1.1.3 who is permitted into membership of the Association at the absolute discretion of the Directors,
PROVIDED THAT in all cases and at all times, the Qualifying Club plays its home matches in Wales but nothing in this Rule shall affect the membership of any Qualifying Club that on the date these Rules are effective, plays its home matches in those English counties any part of whose boundaries are contiguous with any part of the boundary of Wales;
11.1.2 an Area Association means any regionally defined football association as the Directors shall prescribe at their absolute discretion from time to time which is responsible for fostering and improving the game of Association Football, promoting and organising competitions and matches and general management of Association Football, within its defined area under the authority of the Association, and whose headquarters are situate in Wales, which currently comprise the Central Wales Football Association; Gwent County Football Association, North East Wales Football Association; North Wales Coast Football Association; South Wales Football Association and the West Wales Football Association and any other such area association permitted into membership of the Association at the absolute discretion of the Directors from time to time;
11.1.3 a National League means any organisation as the Directors shall prescribe at their absolute discretion from time to time which arranges and runs a seasonal competition of a league or series of leagues for Qualifying Clubs which currently comprise the Cymru Premier; Cymru North, Cymru South; Ardal Leagues Northern; Ardal Leagues Southern; Adran Premier; from 1st August 2023, Adran North and Adran South; and any other such organisation permitted into membership of the Association at the absolute discretion of the Directors from time to time;
11.1.4 each Councillor.; and
11.1.5 from 1st August 2023, any other organisation which is involved in the game of Association Football (or a modified version of the game) in Wales as may be permitted into membership of the Association at the absolute discretion of the Directors from time to time.
11.2 A club, league and any other body or person not being a Member shall be eligible to apply to the Association to become an Associate Member and the Directors shall have absolute discretion on whether to grant or refuse the application, or impose any conditions on, or revoke, any such associate membership. An Associate Member shall have no right to propose changes to the Rules or otherwise seek to convene a meeting of the Members; receive notice of any meeting of the Members; attend any meeting of the Members or vote at any meeting of the Members.
12. The following shall apply in respect of the Officers:-
12.1 there shall be four (4) posts of Officers who, subject to Rule 12.3, shall be appointed or elected (as the case may be) quadrennially by the members of the Council from all Councillors excluding Past Presidents and Life Councillors.
12.2 the four (4) Officers so appointed or elected must be two (2) who have their principal private residence or clubs they represent in the North Wales Area (the areas governed by the North Wales Coast Football Association, the North East Wales Football Association and the Central Wales Football Association or as otherwise prescribed by the Directors from time to time) and two (2) who have their principal private residence or clubs they represent in the South Wales Area (the areas governed by the West Wales Football Association, the South Wales Football Association and the Gwent County Football Association or as otherwise prescribed by the Directors from time to time);
12.3 applications for Officer posts shall be submitted in writing to the Chief Executive Officer in accordance with the instructions issued by him/her to all eligible Councillors from time to time and any eligible Councillor shall be entitled to nominate him/herself to be considered for any named Officer post in any such application;
12.4 each Officer shall serve in office for a term of four (4) years and for the avoidance of doubt, the quadrennial cycle for Officers runs from 1st August 2021;
12.5 a Past President or Life Councillor shall not be eligible to stand for appointment or election to the post of an Officer;
12.6 the President shall not serve more than two (2) terms of four (4) years in the office of President SAVE THAT the triennial term of the President in office on the coming into effect of these Rules shall not be counted towards either of the four (4) year terms for the purpose of this Rule 12.6;
12.7 the Deputy President shall not serve more than two (2) terms of four (4) years in the office of Deputy President and serving as Deputy President shall not preclude that person from standing for the office of President;
12.8 there shall be no limit on the number of four (4) year terms a person may be appointed or elected to the office of Vice-President and serving as Vice-President shall not preclude that person from standing for the office of President or Deputy President;
12.9 if only one (1) eligible candidate applies for a named Officer post, that person shall be appointed to such post, if approved by the Council. If two (2) or more eligible candidates apply for a named Officer post, an election shall be held amongst the Councillors;
12.10 if a person appointed or elected (as the case may be) as an Officer is one of the twenty (20) Councillors referred to in Rule 13 (until 31st July 2023) or one of the Councillors referred to in Rule 13(A).1 to 13(A).10 (from 1st August 2023), such Councillor shall vacate such post and shall be a member of the Council as an Officer of the Association. The vacancy created shall be filled in accordance with Rule 18;
12.11 the President shall be offered the position of Past President on completion of their current term in office as the President, if approved by the Council;
12.12 any Officer, other than the President, shall be offered the position of Life Councillor on completion of their current term in office as an Officer, if approved by the Council;
12.13 each surviving former President of the Association holding the office of “Life Vice-President” shall be known as a Past President from the coming into effect of these Rules; and
12.14 with effect from 1st August 2023, Officers are required to notify the Directors in writing of their intention to continue or relinquish their position as a director or committee member or officer (or any other position) with a Qualifying Club, a National League, an Area Association, or any other organisation which is a Member or an Associate Member.