Affiliate Partnership
Introduction
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) offers Affiliate Partnership to organisations interested in supporting and contributing to the development and growth of football in Wales.
We welcome organisations passionate about football to join us in our vision to create a leading football nation, one where the game is inclusive, accessible, and successful. From park football to the World stage, enhancing lives in every community.
Affiliate Partners will have the opportunity to work in partnership with the FAW, accessing specialised services and initiatives and through collaboration, increase participation opportunities and raise awareness of new and flexible formats of the game.
MAN v FAT Football Wales
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Transplant Wales Football Team
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Our Affiliate Partners
Street Football Wales (SFW)
Street Football Wales (SFW) supports people who have been socially isolated and excluded, providing an inclusive and safe environment in which people can play football, make friends and build self-confidence. SFW builds a community around football that includes players, referees, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and followers.
Ambassadors Football
Established in Wales in 2023, Ambassadors Football is a global organisation with a mission to share the christian faith through football in partnership with local church communities in over 30 countries around the world. In 2025, the staff and volunteer teams delivered four holiday camps as well as tournaments in Cardiff and Swansea, whilst growing a wider network of church partnerships that help mobilise regular football programmes.
Bengal Dragons Foundation
The Bengal Dragons Foundation (BDF) is a community-driven organisation dedicated to breaking down barriers in sport and promoting inclusivity, health, and wellbeing across Wales. BDF focuses on providing accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive sporting programmes for children, young people, and families. Projects are designed to increase participation in sport, foster community cohesion, build confidence, and encourage positive mental and physical health outcomes.
Wales Deaf Football Association (WDFA)
The Wales Deaf Football Association (WDFA) is the official governing body for Deaf football in Wales. Established to promote, develop, and govern the sport for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, the WDFA has a clear mission: to provide Deaf people in Wales with the chance to play, coach, officiate, and engage with football at all levels.
Mental Health Football Wales (MHFW)
Established in 2020, Mental Health Football Wales (MHFW) aims to provide fun football sessions to benefit mental health and wellbeing, ensuring people leave sessions with a smile on their face. Designed and delivered by members with lived experience of mentall ill health, MHFW’s football programme – Connect 76 – uses football as the ‘hook’ to encourage people to get involved.
MAN v FAT Football
MAN v FAT Football is a weight loss programme that combines small-sided football matches with structured weight management support. Teams earn points for the weight players lose each week as well as goals scored on the pitch. MAN v FAT Football has a strong and growing presence across Wales, with clubs in Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Swansea, and Wrexham supporting 500+ welsh men each week to get healthier and get back into organised football.
Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Wales
Founded in 1928, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Wales (BGC Wales) is a national voluntary youth‐work organisation. Today, over 170 affiliated clubs across Wales engage 30,000 young people and 3,500 volunteers every year. BGC Wales supports a number of youth football teams and regularly competes in inter-club and international matches. The girls’ football programme is growing rapidly, with the recent “Her Goal” project helping to create a lasting legacy from UEFA Women’s EURO 2025.
Esports Wales
Esports Wales is the national body for competitive video gaming (Esports) in Wales, including esports in all of its forms and disciplines throughout the nation, from the grassroots level to national teams.
Welsh Schools FA
Welsh Schools FA is a voluntary body that organises all schools and colleges football in Wales with a view to improving the quality of football played within the education system and offering the chance to play at a higher level.
Wales Veterans’ Football Association (WVFA)
The Wales Veterans’ Football Association (WVFA) aims to increase participation in association football throughout Wales and improve the mental health and well-being of its demograph. The WVFA consists of over 1800 registered players aged 40-80 years and almost 90 teams. In 2024 the WVFA hosted the Over-70s & Over-75s World Cup in Cardiff, with the Over-70s team lifting the trophy. The Over-70s retained their title at the 2025 world cup in Japan.
Transplant Wales Football Team
The Transplant Wales Football Team aims to provide transplant recipients, dialysis patients, and individuals with chronic or life-altering health conditions a safe and inspiring space to play football, build resilience, and live beyond their diagnoses. Founded by a community of passionate players, healthcare advocates, and volunteers, the team raises awareness of the power of organ donation and the extraordinary things transplant recipients can achieve. The team represented Wales at the inaugural Transplant World Cup in Italy in 2024.
Wales Armed Forces Veterans Football Club
The Wales Armed Forces Veterans Football Club offers members an international sporting voice and a chance to focus on the future, especially for those who have faced mental challenges due to past traumatic experiences. With a strong sense of camaraderie, teamwork, and pride, this club helps veterans reconnect and thrive after their service.
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (Game On Wales)
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) delivers charitable work in coalfield areas impacted by the pit closure programme of the 1980s and 1990s that are also in the 30% most deprived communities across Britain. The Trust delivers its charitable work based on five missions: Community, Health, Skills, Jobs and Climate. CRT Game On uses the power of sport to change lives for the better in former coalfield communities. Free sessions that allow everyone to get involved, get active and learn new skills are delivered under five strands.
FAW Affiliate Partnership
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Becoming an Affiliate Partner
The Football Association of Wales is not currently accepting applications from prospective Affiliate Partners. If your organisation is interested in becoming an Affiliate Partner, you can learn more about the scheme below ahead of the next application window.
Football Association of Wales Deliverables
The FAW Affiliate Partnership Scheme will serve to foster growth and development of grassroots football, community engagement and organisational support.
Some of the key deliverables for the FAW through this scheme, aligned to Our Wales strategic goals include:
- Grow, support, and develop people delivering football.
- Grow and retain the number of people playing football through increased participation opportunities.
- Build data on flexible football formats.
- Support positive brand sentiment of FAW.
- Enhance the FAWs positive influence through strong partnerships across Wales.
Transparent decision-making processes.
Eligibility Criteria
- A national organisation delivering inclusive football opportunities across Wales (in a minimum of 3 FAW Area Associations) or have a development plan evidencing the ambition and potential for growth nationally.
- A robust and modern governance structure in place and essential policies including:
- Constitution
- Rules and Regulations (including disciplinary procedures and a right to appeal process)
- Code of Conduct/Ethics
- Safeguarding Policy
- Safe Recruitment Policy
- Anti-discrimination policy
- Equality & Equal Opportunities policy
- Sustainability Policy
- An up to date and relevant insurance policy, if applicable.
- A Designated Safeguarding lead, up to date and relevant Safeguarding policies, practices and procedures and a DBS process and certificates in place.
- Commit to the FAW data collection processes or submit data as and when requested through current organisational platforms.
- Official rules and regulations in place that are approved by the FAW.
Applicants must agree to the FAW’s Code of Conduct for Affiliate Partners and uphold the values of, Excellence, Respect, Family.
Application Process
- Organisations can apply for FAW Affiliate Partnership by completing an online application form. Applicants agree to the terms set out within this framework by submitting such online application form.
- FAW will complete an internal departmental assessment of all applications with reference to the eligibility criteria and internal due diligence procedures.
- FAW Community Game Board will assess applications and a decision will be made to approve or deny membership based on the eligibility criteria and alignment with the FAW’s ‘Our Wales’ strategy.
- FAW Board to approve Community Game Board decisions to confirm membership.
Benefits for Affiliate Partners
- Value and recognition as an approved partner of FAW and use of specific member logo.
- Use of FAW Comet platform, to increase visibility through the Cymru Football app, and assist with the digital administration of the game.
- Public Liability and Personal Accident Insurance (through Comet).
- Access to FAW policy templates.
- Use of FAW DBS check system.
- FAW support to develop new initiatives to grow participation opportunities.
- Access to FAW Legends on your doorstep initiative.
- Networking opportunities with other Affiliate Partner organisations across Wales.
- Entry into International ticket ballots.
- Access to support, for international representative teams via an application process.
Affiliate Partners Responsibilities
- Uphold FAW values of, Excellence, Respect, Family and act in a manner that reflects positively on the organisation and football across Wales.
- Mandatory use of Comet and or submission of data and insight as requested.
- Participate actively in FAW programmes and initiatives to contribute positively to the growth of football in Wales.
- Respect the decisions and authority of the FAW and its staff/officials.
- Maintain good standing by adhering to the FAWs Code of Conduct and any other guidelines or regulations set by the FAW, as applicable.
- Provide feedback and suggestions for FAW improvement in services to better serve the football community in Wales.
- Payment of an annual fee.
Membership Duration and Renewal
- FAW Affiliate Partnership is valid from the date of approval until 30th June.
- Members can apply to renew their membership annually through submission of a renewal application form.
- The FAW reserves the right to revoke or suspend Affiliate Partnership if a member organisation fails to comply with the terms and conditions outlined in this framework, breaches the Code of Conduct for Affiliate Partners, or in the sole opinion of the FAW, brings the FAW into disrepute.
Membership Fees
- The annual fee for FAW Affiliate Partners will be:
- Non-profit / Charity organisation = £200.00 (plus VAT)
- For profit organisation = £400.00 (plus VAT)
- Membership fees contribute to funding FAW grassroots initiatives, programmes and activities to support football development across Wales.
Amendments to Framework
The FAW reserves the right to amend the Affiliate Partnership Framework at any time, with changes communicated to members through appropriate channels.
Contact Information
For inquiries regarding Affiliate Partnership or assistance with the application process, please contact Rebecca Osland, National Participation and Partnerships Manager, rosland@staging.faw.hopp.studio
