Football overtakes rugby as number one sport in Wales

Both Wales' men and women have been growing on the field and off it in recent years Credit: PA

Football has overtaken rugby as the number one sport in Wales according to new research.

An independent report, published by audience researcher Nielsen, shows football interest has continued to increase since research in Wales was first conducted in 2016.

For the first time recorded, football is now the number one sport in Wales in terms of interest and continues to be the number one sport in terms of participation for children and adults.

In 2022, 47% of Welsh people surveyed say they follow football, compared to 45% who say they follow rugby union.

The report does not give reasons for the increase in interest in football in Wales, but it coincides with back to back qualification to Euro 2016 and 2020, promotion to the top tier of the Nations League and Wales being one game away from qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

It is an increase on the 39% of people in Wales who said they followed football in 2016.

Interest in rugby union has also increased from 43% to 45% in the same period, but has been outstripped by football.

The Football Association of Wales has taken huge strides in connecting with its fanbase and rebranding the national and domestic games Credit: PA

Nielsen conducted the research in Wales during April 2022.

The research is conducted every two years to provide an accurate assessment of the state of the sport in Wales.

In terms of participation, football remains well ahead of rugby union, with 17% of adults currently playing football compared to 8% that play rugby union.

The divide is even greater in children's participation, where 40% say they play football compared to 14% that play rugby.

The research also shows that interest in the Cymru international teams continues to grow, with a notable increase in Women’s National Team interest that has doubled since 2016.

Interest in women’s football shows that 50% show some sort of interest in women’s football while 32% of respondents identify as fans.

Again, this coincides with the success of Wales' women's team who currently sit second in their World Cup qualifying group.

Wales women have been on a run of breaking attendance records Credit: PA

Noel Mooney, chief executive of the Football Association of Wales, said: “On the whole this report is very positive and I’m incredibly pleased to see that the game which we are entrusted to run is now the number one interest sport in the country.

“This independent report is testament to hard work of FAW employees, area associations, leagues, clubs and volunteers right across the country who raise awareness, interest and perceptions of our wonderful game.

“In conjunction with our strategic aims for Welsh football, this research provides us with insights on where we can continue to grow and what areas we need to focus on for improvement.”