Cardiff City Stadium to Host Wales' Autumn Nations League Matches

Wales will host autumn Nations League matches at Cardiff City Stadium, including games against Norway, Denmark, and Portugal, despite considerations to move some fixtures to Principality Stadium ahead of Euro 2028.

Wales to Continue Playing at Cardiff City Stadium This Autumn

Wales men’s national football team will maintain their schedule of games at Cardiff City Stadium this autumn, despite earlier suggestions that some matches might be relocated to the Principality Stadium ahead of Euro 2028.

A Nations League double-header featuring Norway and Denmark is set to take place at Cardiff City Stadium during the first week of October, followed by a November fixture against Portugal to conclude the League A campaign.

Wales is co-hosting Euro 2028 alongside England, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland. The 74,500-capacity Principality Stadium is slated to host six matches during the tournament, with Wales guaranteed to play there if they qualify.

Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief Noel Mooney has emphasized the importance of the team gaining experience at the larger venue in advance of the tournament.

The Welsh squad will begin their Nations League campaign with an away match in Portugal on Thursday, 24 September, at a venue yet to be confirmed. This will be followed by a trip to Copenhagen to face Denmark three days later.

The penultimate group match will be held in Oslo against Norway on Saturday, 14 November.

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Wales Cannot Be Principality Stadium 'Tourists' at Euros

Wales secured promotion to the highest tier of Nations League football by finishing top of League B Group 4, following a 4-1 victory over Iceland in Cardiff in November 2024.

Since 2018, Wales has not played an international match at the Principality Stadium, which is primarily known as the home of Welsh rugby. Instead, the team has a strong record at Cardiff City Stadium, which has a capacity of 33,000.

In their last 14 all-competition matches at Cardiff City Stadium, Wales has suffered only one defeat in regular time. However, they experienced shoot-out losses in qualifying matches against Poland in March 2024 and Bosnia and Herzegovina last month.

Both head coach Craig Bellamy and his players have frequently praised the atmosphere at Cardiff City Stadium, which opened in 2009 as a replacement for Ninian Park.

"Our fans, our players, the FAW is really happy playing in Cardiff City Stadium," said FAW chief executive Noel Mooney.

Mooney has also indicated that the FAW will consult with supporters regarding which fixtures could be held at the Principality Stadium. This may include friendlies against high-profile opponents or Euro qualifying matches scheduled between March and November 2027.

Additionally, Mooney has mentioned the possibility of Wales following the women's team by hosting a match in Wrexham in the future.

By choosing to retain Cardiff City Stadium for the Nations League fixtures, the venue currently hosting League One football will have the opportunity to welcome Norwegian star Erling Haaland and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo later this year.