A new streaming service will show Wales' World Cup and Euro qualifiers, as well as Nations League games from 2024. It means Wales matches will no longer be shown on Sky Sports or, it seems, S4C.
However, today FAW chief executive Noel Mooney has said that no decision has been made for games leading up to that point, which could prompt fears other matches might also be lost on free-to-air TV earlier than expected. You can read the backlash to the announcement about the subscription service here.
Wales have a run of qualifiers for Euro 2024 starting next year, as well as UEFA Nations League matches throughout 2022.
FAW boss Noel Mooney was giving evidence to Senedd members on Wednesday in a session talking about participation in sport in disadvantaged areas. Witnesses from football, rugby, cricket and swimming also gave evidence.
Mooney was asked whether international games going behind a paywall would impact on participation. He replied: "It’s quite topical for us at the moment, of course. Our rights are sold by UEFA as you may know and recently there was an announcement our rights for 2024-28 are sold to a subscription channel. We don’t know what 2022-24 is yet, that’ll be announced quite soon.
Read more: Neco Williams on his World Cup dream and Liverpool's stunning quadruple bid
"We've a very strong relationship with S4C who have played a very integral part in the growth and development of Welsh football and the whole energy behind our Red Wall, the popularisation of football - S4C have played a magnificent role in. We believe with Welsh language being such an important part of the FAW and of Welsh football and I'd like to see us as champions of Welsh language, and Welsh culture and Welsh life, that relationship with S4C is very important. In the last week we've seen our rights for 2024-28 have been sold to a subscription channel."
He said the FAW have spoken to S4C every day since the announcement and are in discussions about "growing" the relationship.
Mooney continued: "Our view is we’d like as many people as possible…accessibility is a crucial part of sport and being able to see Jess Fishlock, Gareth Bale or Aaron Ramsey or these inspirational figures that have grown up in Wales and gone on to become global superstars is very important to people in all communities. But certainly in deprived communities where football is clearly coming from a working class background.
"The sport belongs to the people. For us we want as many people as possible to see our matches and our stars to inspire them.
"We strongly believe that as many people as possible can see the sports, it’s very important to the sport of football that people can see it. It’s very important that people can see our stars."
Geraint John, community director of the Welsh Rugby Union, said that accessibility was key. "One of the key things is accessibility for youngsters in today's world to get them active," he said. "It doesn’t matter what sport, we just want young people to be active.
"One of the key things is that the biggest strength we have is our Welsh language and that enables us to help that negotiation to get sport on our TV and S4C plays a part in that. We’ve got the Six Nations which is not behind closed doors, we’ve got to protect that and we need to see that continue to be seen and accessible for all people, whether in the English language but mainly Welsh language.
"When we do the deals for November, and the autumn internationals, the Welsh language plays a major part in our negotiations and our discussions."
