This is a re-write of one of the most popular and regularly recurring questions brought up on social media and elsewhere regarding independence:
“Would Welsh clubs playing in the English pyramid (Cardiff City etc.) be forced into the Welsh football pyramid?”
TL;DR: Yes, including – ironically – England.
England – Oswestry-based The New Saints are one of the few professional clubs in the Cymru Premier and are currently the league’s dominant force. They were formed via a merger between Oswestry Town and Llansantffraid in 2003. TNS’ women’s team also compete in the Welsh pyramid.
Meanwhile, further down the men’s pyramid a team from Newcastle on Clun (also in Shropshire) play in the Mid Wales League. Also, when Chester City was expelled from the National League (then called the Conference) in 2010 for financial reasons, they unsuccessfully applied to join the Welsh pyramid.
Similarly, Berwick Rangers play in the Scottish pyramid despite being geographically located in England.
Ireland – Derry City, geographically located in Northern Ireland, has played in the League of Ireland since the 1985-86 season. Before this, they played in the Northern Irish pyramid but left due to a mix of concerns about violence as well as possible sectarianism from the Northern Irish footballing authorities (who had ordered Derry City to play home games in Coleraine).
Canada – The three largest Canadian football clubs/franchises – CF Montreal, Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC – all play in the US Major League Soccer (MLS). Two other teams play in a lower American league.
The three MLS sides – and teams from the Canadian football pyramid – compete in the Canadian Championship competition to decide a place in CONCACAF club competitions. The five Canadian sides that play in the US pyramid also don’t take part in the US Open Cup (the American equivalent of the FA Cup).
Liechtenstein – All of Liechtenstein’s football clubs play in the Swiss pyramid due to the lack of a Lichtensteiner league system. The most notable club is FC Vaduz, Liechtenstein’s only professional team, which regularly competes in European competitions by winning the Liechtenstein Cup.
Monaco – AS Monaco plays in the French pyramid and is historically one of the most successful club sides. Monaco doesn’t have national teams or membership in international football confederations, meaning AS Monaco is effectively treated as a French club side.
New Zealand – Wellington Phoenix are the only New Zealand representative in the Australian A-League (both men and women). That arrangement doesn’t only cross a national boundary but a confederation one, with Australia being a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and New Zealand being a member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Resultingly, Wellington Phoenix is barred from qualifying for AFC competitions.
A previous A-League franchise/club – New Zealand Knights, based in Auckland – folded in 2007. There are plans for another franchise/club based in Auckland to join the men’s A-League from 2024-25.
Andorra – Despite having its own football pyramid, FC Andorra – the only professional club side in the country – have played in the Spanish football pyramid since 1948. This is largely due to their affiliation with the Catalan Football Federation which, in turn, granted them access to the Spanish pyramid and the right to compete in Spanish cup competitions.
San Marino – Similarly to Andorra and Liechtenstein, the only professional club side in San Marino (Victor San Marino) plays in the Italian football pyramid. San Marino has its own domestic pyramid, mainly made up of amateur and semi-professional clubs. Victor San Marino doesn’t compete in the Sammarinese Cup.
