Plans for a revamped 16-team Welsh League Cup which would see Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham and Newport County enter the competition have been proposed by the Welsh Football Association.
The FAW are awaiting approval from the FA to enable Wales' Football League clubs to participate in the Welsh League Cup and provide them with a direct route into a European competition.
Under the proposals entitled Prosiect Cymru (Project Wales), the aforementioned Football League clubs would continue to compete in their respective English league and cup competitions but have the additional opportunity of participating in the Welsh League Cup.
Winners of the competition would be granted a place in the UEFA Conference League.
First established in 1992, the Welsh League Cup is open to members of the Cymru Premier, Cymru North, Cymru South and a select few other clubs.
In the 2024/25 campaign a total of 48 clubs entered the competition, including the academy sides of Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County.
The New Saints are the defending champions having defeated Swansea City U21s in the final.
The new Welsh League Cup will consist of 16 teams with four rounds of single-leg knockout matches, starting in the 2025/26 season.
Of the 16 teams, 12 from the Cymru Premier would feature alongside Wales' four Football League clubs.
The winners of the revamped Welsh League Cup will be granted qualification to the UEFA Conference League.
For the Football League clubs, it would be a significantly easier method of securing European qualification than their current options; Swansea were the last Welsh EFL club to appear in Europe after lifting the League Cup trophy in 2013.
However, if all four clubs were to participate in the Welsh League Cup, they would sacrifice their ability to qualify for Europe via an English competition.
Outlining their vision for the competition, the FAW released a mission statement which highlighted the economical and societal benefits of including the Football League clubs.
They predicted that the new Welsh League Cup would generate a minimum of £3m each season, which would be invested into infrastructure projects, the Cymru Premier and the women's game.
The FAW also suggested that they do not wish to jeopardise the current Football League status of the four clubs and that a thorough review would be undertaken within four years to assess the success of the competition.
EFL clubs have indicated that all profits obtained from participating in the Welsh League Cup and UEFA competitions will not contribute to satisfying financial regulations.