'World Cup could earn millions for Welsh grassroots'

Qualifying for next year's World Cup could earn Wales more than £10m, a significant amount of which would be invested in grassroots football.

That is according to Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney, who says additional sponsorship bonuses could generate millions more to improve facilities across the country.

Wales are two wins away from qualifying for their second successive World Cup and only a third in their history.

Craig Bellamy's side host Bosnia-Herzegovina in their play-off semi-final on 26 March and, if victorious, will face Italy or Northern Ireland in Cardiff five days later for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

The draw for the World Cup takes place in Washington DC on Friday.

It means all teams will know who they would face in the group stage in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer if they successfully navigate the play-offs.

Mooney said participation was worth about $10.5 million (£7.9m) to Wales before costs of travel and player and staff payments brought that figure down to about $4 (£3m).

But he added: "Also you're looking at sponsorship bonuses and the interest around the association grows around that. You have sponsorships that have specified amounts that come to us.

"We've seen progress [in grassroots facilities] but there's a lot more to be done so should we get to the World Cup you're looking at $3m or $4m that goes towards the grassroots game."

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'Third World' facilities

Improving grassroots football in Wales has been a priority for the FAW in recent years, with Mooney previously describing the country's public facilities as "Third World".

Through its charitable arm, the Cymru Football Foundation, which was launched in October 2022, the FAW has spent £26m on projects around Wales, but Mooney believes that is only "scratching the surface".

"The last time [Wales qualified in 2022] was great for Welsh football," he added.

"We took €4m (£3.5m) that we made from the World Cup and our reserves and we put it into the Cymru Football Foundation which many clubs - 200 across Wales - have benefited already from, building pitches and dressing rooms and so on.

"So the last World Cup was a catalyst to what ended up being £26m that we've ended up distributing with help from DCMS [Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport], Welsh Government and local authorities and the clubs themselves.

"Now it's clear, as we've discussed in a 10-year plan we're working on, facilities at grassroots level remains a huge issue for Wales. It's one that we have obviously shown we're determined to tackle.

"We're about to give out another tranche of a few million pounds very soon but it's a long way to go. We're still scratching the surface of that."

Beyond next summer's World Cup, the FAW will also be in line for further windfalls when Wales co-hosts Euro 2028 and the 2035 Women's World Cup.

"If you look at hosting Euro 2028, with the way it's set up with two reserve places, we fully expect to be playing in the tournament, kicking off here in Cardiff," said Mooney.

"That on its own has a revenue which brings about €10m (£8.75) from a participation perspective, but there's also a hosting bonus, which is a few million pounds.

"We've absolutely no doubt that could be worth £7-8m net to the FAW.

"Similarly with the Women's World Cup, even though at the moment the prize money and hosting bonuses are not near the men's yet, by 2035 our best guess would be that's getting much closer because the women's game is on such a growth trajectory.

"So by then we expect to be in a good profit for the association for the women's game."

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