World’s first festival of football culture to be held in Wrexham

The world’s first ever festival of football culture is being launched in Wrexham, Cymru with the support of the Football Association of Wales (FAW).

The three day celebration will take place 11-13 November on the eve of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, at which Cymru will be one of the 32 competing nations.

Big names from the worlds of football and film will come together in Wrexham, the Welsh game’s ‘spiritual home’ to celebrate and explore football culture from the perspective of the most important figures of all – the fans.

Wal Goch: Festival for Football Lovers | Gŵyl i Gariadon Pêl-droed will be proudly Welsh, yet internationalist in outlook, with figures and influencers in the game from around the world in attendance for film screenings, workshops, talks, and comedy.

Culture

FAW CEO Noel Mooney said “Cymru is a movement that spans football, music, language, fashion & culture. Wal Goch Festival for Football Lovers embodies our movement – built by our fans for our fans – to represent Cymru to the world. Our partnership with social enterprise Expo’r Wal Goch and creative agency bak will enable us to tap into a special land full of creativity and positive energy. Through this festival, we can discuss our fan culture and our future as a leading football nation.

Noel added, “Wrexham and north east Wales is the spiritual home of Welsh football and North Walians are a huge part of our Wal Goch. The FAW was founded there in 1876; the first clubs emerged in the region; nowhere in the world has been hosting international football for longer than The Racecourse.

“It’s also been the breeding ground for many legendary Welsh players from Chirk’s Billy Meredith, Mark Hughes from Ruabon, Ian Rush from Flint right through to current international, Neco Williams from Cefn Mawr.

“With last year’s takeover of Wrexham AFC by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the newly-crowned city now has global interest and hopefully a stadium that can host Cymru in the future. It is the perfect home for Wal Goch: Festival for Football Lovers which the FAW is proud to support and be a partner of.”

Organiser Russell Todd said: “With Cymru qualifying for Qatar, 2022 will go down as one of the iconic years for Welsh football and it makes perfect sense to host Wal Goch: Festival for Football Lovers in Wrexham, one of the UK’s newest cities and which is the cradle of the game in Cymru.

“We aim to embed the festival in and with the community and make it a yearly event that will bring visitors and positive attention to Wrexham, building on its recent UK City of Culture application. Our ambition is to be football’s answer to The Hay Festival.”

● The Festival takes place in the first week of November 11/12/13th at various locations in the city of Wrexham. Sign up HERE for regular updates

● For more information email the Expo: [email protected]

● Follow the Festival on:
○ Instagram: @walgochfest
○ Twitter: @gwylwalgoch