The third FAW Futsal Cup has been launched today and the Champions will follow in the footsteps of TNS and Cardiff City by representing Wales in the UEFA Futsal Cup competition in August 2013. FAW Head of Competitions Andrew Howard said; “I am delighted that the FAW continues to invest in Futsal as it’s a fast-growing game in Wales. The Futsal Cup was our first steps into the small-sided version of the game and since, two clubs have represented Wales in Europe and we now have a National team competing amongst Europe’s elite. “The Futsal Cup has provided players of all abilities with the opportunity to compete for a National Trophy, with the carrot of playing in UEFA competition a real incentive for squads to enter. Almost 500 players have played the game in the Futsal Cup over the last two years and we hope that the number of entries will again surpass the previous two seasons.”
Football or Futsal clubs who play in Wales are invited to enter the competition now until the deadline of Friday 28th December. The competition will kick-off in February with regional qualifiers scheduled for Sunday 3rd February in Swansea, Wrexham, Bangor and Newport or Cardiff.
The Northern Regional Finals will be played on Sunday 17th February at Bangor University, with the Southern Regional Finals being played on Sunday 24th February in Cardiff. Three clubs will be successful from each to progress to the National Finals Day on Sunday March 24th in Cardiff.
TNS became the inaugural FAW Futsal Cup winners when they beat Connah’s Quay in the 2011 Final in Cardiff and Cardiff City triumphed against Cardiff Corries in last year’s Final in Deeside.
Wales also has a National Futsal squad and that squad of players represented the Principality in the first capped Futsal Internationals in Andorra in September. All matches played in the FAW Futsal Cup are watched by scouts and players that have been identified for International honours having been spotted in the National Cup include; captain Eric Ramsay, Tom Allen and Naim Arsan (all TNS), Danny Hooper and Gareth Delve of Cardiff Corries, as well as Elliot Thomas of Cardiff University Futsal Club. The Welsh Squad is currently preparing for the forthcoming UEFA Futsal Qualifying Championships.
