UEFA Conference League: Success for The New Saints benefiting the Welsh game

It has been a year of European firsts for 16-time Welsh champions The New Saints FC, and while their success is set to take the club to a new level on and off the field, it will also deliver wider benefits for the domestic game.

"We've been striving for years to get to where we are today," explained chief operating officer Ian Williams, following qualification for the league phase of the UEFA Conference League. "This new competition gives clubs and countries of our size a real opportunity. It certainly raises the profile of not only our club, but the domestic game in Wales."

The New Saints FC are the most successful and only fully professional club in the Cymru Premier. They are the first club from the Welsh domestic game to reach what is now the league phase of a major European competition, something that started out as a dream for chairman Mike Harris when he took over what was then called Llansantffraid FC in 1997.

Six years later, the club merged with Oswestry Town and relocated to Park Hall while adopting their current name. Extensive developments now mean that the club operates a facility that provides a daily revenue stream, while the sale of striker Brad Young to Saudi Pro League side Al-Orobah was the largest transfer fee received by a club in Welsh domestic football history. Further improvements are now possible through the club’s increased European prize money.

Wide-ranging benefits for football in Wales

"There's obviously lots of costs involved," Williams said. "But the important thing is that we look strategically as to how that money is invested. We want to continue to build the stadium, but also look at our training facilities and build more pitches."

In fact, The New Saints' success will also benefit their domestic rivals, as UEFA’s solidarity payments will now be distributed across the other 11 top-flight clubs, providing a timely financial boost as the national league launches a new and exciting format and structure ahead of the 2026/27 season. This funding will allow Welsh clubs to raise standards through upgraded facilities and budget for full-time administrative staff.

Success beyond the men’s first team

At The New Saints, over 150 players represent the club's academy ranging from U8 to U19, and it has received the highest Category A award. Meanwhile, their women's team have switched from amateur to semi-professional status this season and are looking to soon write their own European story in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

The club also competed in the UEFA Youth League for the first time this season, and while they were eliminated in the opening round, U19 head coach Simon Spender appreciates the value of the experience. "Most of these players will never play football outside of Britain," he explained. "So this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to actually go and play football in a different country."

The New Saints FC take part in a training session at their home stadium, Park HallAFP via Getty Images

Exciting European adventure

The UEFA Conference League draw handed The New Saints enticing fixtures against huge European names such as Fiorentina, tournament runners-up in the previous two seasons, which resulted in a respectable 2-0 defeat in their opening match. Playing their home games at neighbouring Shrewsbury Town FC, goals from Rory Holden and Declan McManus then sealed a famous 2-0 win for manager Craig Harrison's side over Astana on Matchday 2.

"We like to play on the front foot," explained captain Daniel Redmond to UEFA. "We like to be in people’s faces, press high, play free-flowing football and express ourselves in the final third. Craig sets the standards day-to-day in training and it's about keeping those standards high."

Those standards will be put to the test when The New Saints host Sweden’s Djurgården on Matchday 4, before welcoming another side with outstanding European pedigree on Matchday 5, the former European Cup finalists Panathinaikos. They are just the latest fixtures in what is proving to be a game-changing European adventure for the club – and for Welsh football as a whole.