A tournament for all: How the U19 EURO is boosting the Welsh game
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
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The European Under-19 Championship kicks off this week in Wales, where investment in facilities from UEFA and other stakeholders is helping clubs and communities prepare to host the tournament while strengthening the domestic game for years to come.
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"Hosting this tournament is an investment in the future."
That was the message from Football Association of Wales (FAW) CEO Noel Mooney at the tournament draw in April, summing up why staging this summer’s Under-19 EURO will make a difference to domestic Welsh football long after the winners have been crowned.
As the FAW celebrates its 150th anniversary, it is also getting ready to stage a UEFA men's age-group tournament for the first time. More than £3m (€3.4m) has been invested in facilities across north Wales to prepare for the tournament and maximise its long-term impact.
"This is about much more than developing and delivering a successful tournament; it’s about what remains afterwards,” said Mooney. “The legacy: stronger clubs, better facilities and new opportunities for the next generation."
Lasting impact
Just over £2m (€2.3m) of the funding has been provided by the FAW and the Cymru Football Foundation, with the remaining investment being contributed by the English Premier League and the UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Nine clubs from the Welsh football pyramid have received ground improvement grants to help them prepare to host matches and act as training venues during the tournament.
Caernarfon Town FC have received the largest share of funding for ground redevelopment, with £1.1m (€1.27m) invested in a new playing surface, changing rooms and facilities for supporters. Their stadium, The Oval, will host three U19 EURO group games.
"It’s about what remains afterwards: stronger clubs, better facilities and new opportunities for the next generation."
"We are proud to have been chosen and look forward to seeing the best young talent in Europe play at our stadium," explained club chair Paul Evans. "The work carried out has transformed the stadium to be among the best in Wales, with fantastic modern facilities and a top-class pitch."
It’s not just the footballers who will benefit. "The project has given the club a huge boost and I believe it will do the same to Caernarfon as a town," added Evans.
'It means the world to us'
Denbigh Town FC will host three group games and a semi-final at their Central Park home. The second-division club received around £900,000 (€1.04m) to put towards improvements including a new multi-purpose facility, pitch renovation and upgraded floodlights. When U19 EURO is over, those facilities will be available to the local community.
"It means the world to us," said chair Shon Powell. "For children to be able to play football in the highest-specification facilities is just amazing.
"The FAW approached us to say that if we could work together, we could build a stadium worthy of hosting the tournament. Now finished, it will be there for decades to come for young people and the general community to enjoy."
"We are unbelievably proud and privileged to have both the competition and the legacy to move forward with."
How UEFA helps to develop football infrastructure in Wales
With support from the UEFA HatTrick programme, which redistributes men’s EURO revenue to our 55 member associations, the FAW has recently committed to significant investments in football infrastructure upgrades across the country.
This includes improvements to the FAW headquarters and the Football Centre of Excellence in Hensol and the National Football Development Centre at Colliers Park in Wrexham, where the Wales squad will train throughout the Under-19 EURO.
Colwyn Bay FC’s Llanelian Road, which will also be used as a training facility during the tournament, previously received HatTrick funding to make the ground UEFA-competition compliant.