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Wales return to Principality Stadium for Spain friendly

Last updated on .From the section Walescomments23

Wales line up before facing England at Cardiff's showpiece venue in 2011
Wales line up before facing England at Cardiff's showpiece venue in 2011. The hosts lost 2-0

Wales will play at Principality Stadium for the first time since 2011 when they face Spain in a friendly in autumn, 2018.

Ryan Giggs' side will host Spain in Cardiff on Thursday, 11 October and will then travel to Albania on Tuesday, 20 November.

Wales have not played at the national stadium since facing England in 2011 in a 2012 European Championship qualifier.

In recent years Wales have been based at the smaller Cardiff City Stadium.

That is where they will continue to play forthcoming competitive games.

Cardiff City Stadium holds up to 33,000 fans, while the Principality has a capacity of 74,500.

'Fantastic opportunity for supporters'

Football Association of Wales chief executive Jonathan Ford said: "We are delighted that we will be playing against Spain, arguably the most successful international side in world football during the past few years.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for our supporters to see a great team and world class players.

"We want to provide everyone with the opportunity of watching the game and playing at the Principality Stadium enables us to do so."

Principality Stadium last staged a Wales football match in March 2011 when it was called Millennium Stadium.

After talks with stadium owners, the Welsh Rugby Union, about use of the venue the FAW hopes for a bumper crowd for a glamour friendly against a Spain side able to field the likes of Premier League stars David de Gea and David Silva.

Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes scored when Wales last faced Spain in 1985

However, Wales' Uefa Nations League games - against the Republic of Ireland and Denmark in September and November - will be played at Cardiff City Stadium.

That is the venue that Wales turned into a fortress under Giggs' predecessor Chris Coleman, which saw them qualify for Euro 2016 - their first major tournament for 58 years.

The two friendlies will be played during 'free' international match days during the Nations League competition.

Countries without Nations League fixtures were compelled by Uefa to arrange games with each other.

In recent years, Wales have opted against filling friendly dates and preferred to utilise training camps.

Wales have not played Spain since a World Cup qualifier in April 1985, which the hosts won 3-0 at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground.

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23 comments

  • Comment posted by DONC83, at 11:30 2 May 2018

    Good idea for a friendly; get the fans in and generate some money for the FAW to improve the Wales training facilities and put money into grass roots football..

    Then when the qualifiers and what not start, ship it back to the Cardiff City Stadium where we have had so much success recently.

    A win win in my book.

  • Comment posted by Clearview, at 13:06 2 May 2018

    Some sensible appraisal of expected crowd should be the issue...

    No one wants 30 thousand rattling around the Principality Stadium, equally don't hold a game attracting over 50 thousand in a stadium that can hold 33.

  • Comment posted by Gwent lad, at 11:59 2 May 2018

    Agree with post no 1 , so long as the FAW don’t see the £ signs and seek a permanent return . Then you will see a return of the type of welsh fan that supports one of the big English north west clubs accompanied by their air horn weilding children. That’s a big no from me.

  • Comment posted by BBCBlogger, at 13:02 2 May 2018

    Gwent lad - Are we saying that the ONLY fans able to support the National Team MUST be based in either Newport, Cardiff or Swansea? Fans from North Wales may well support a top-flight English club - so what? That makes them "less-welsh"? Shall we move the National Stadium to Ynys Mon and have a Welshness-test on the bridge before anyone can get on the island to watch the games?

  • Comment posted by Reesy73, at 15:27 2 May 2018

    Lets play them in Spain and all have a holiday!

  • Comment posted by U14138411, at 22:48 2 May 2018

    I thought the reason why they moved out of the Millennium Stadium was because they couldn't fill it, even for the big games. What's changed?

  • Comment posted by Returning Migrant, at 15:16 2 May 2018

    No, no and no. The "We're not a Principality" Stadium is a rugby ground for rugby teams. Welsh football was always played at Welsh football ground until moved to the pre-millennium National Stadium. I was at a qualifying game there once where the crowd was less than 8,000 and Cardiff City had had a bigger crowd the night before. I don't care what football ground we play at, but not rugby ground

  • Comment posted by RallyRay, at 13:28 2 May 2018

    Wales should invest some of the profit made from this game into making the Racecourse suitable for internationals. It is the oldest international stadium in the World and I say they deserve a few friendlies up there at the very least! Keep the qualifiers at the CCS, glamour friendlies like Spain at the Millennium (yes, that's what it's called), and spread the other friendlies around! C'mon CYMRU

  • Comment posted by Hugh Jerection, at 11:45 2 May 2018

    Can't see the National Stadium being full for a friendly, a lot depends on the price of the tickets and whether Spain would bring their full squad for a meaningless game against Wales. Should play all games at the CCS which the players love.

  • Comment posted by U16967147, at 21:03 2 May 2018

    "In answer to your question, yes, my name is Mr Roland Myers and I reside a stone throw away from the Welsh Government buildings in Cardiff Bay."

    --------------------------------------------------------------------

    I've worked with clients who speak as you write. Just saying,

  • Comment posted by Mr Roland F Myers, at 18:23 2 May 2018

    ADDRESSING POSTER#15 WALES FOR EVER DIRECTLY

    Cardiff is a city on the world stage, frequently hosting GLOBAL events. The Champions League Cup Final just last year is a case in point. Just yesterday, our city being linked with a global hub in the Middle East directly

    Cardiff operates in an economic bubble separate to Wales. Cardiff tends to be prosperous, Wales on the other hand, not -Roland

  • Comment posted by Mr Roland F Myers, at 18:17 2 May 2018

    Good evening Mrs Ethel Stoakes.

    In answer to your question, yes, my name is Mr Roland Myers and I reside a stone throw away from the Welsh Government buildings in Cardiff Bay.

    Not sure what you mean by your comment “still dumping on hys,” Mrs Stoakes?

    Realistically, Cardiff is the only place to hold a friendly match. Believe anything else and you must be in fantasy land, Mrs Stoakes.

  • Comment posted by U16307920, at 15:23 2 May 2018

    @13 Roland

    You sir, epitomise the arrogance of some who inhabit that town. I am from south Wales, but would welcome the match being played in north Wales.

    You need to get over yourself sunshine; Cardiff is a little pond in the great scheme of things.

  • Comment posted by Gwent lad, at 14:09 2 May 2018

    No 7 , who said anything about being based in one of the south welsh cities ? I will however refine the original comment to the south Walian supporting Manchester and Liverpool fans. North Wales has huge number of die hard wales fans so the original coment wasn’t really targeted at them. Your other suggestion was a bit silly .

  • Comment posted by Alan , at 13:16 2 May 2018

    It a long way to travel north to south and back. A national team playing in a local teams(Cardiff) ground is not a big draw. I feel I am in Cardiff's ground when Wales play at Cardiff ground. Most big Welsh stars have played in big English teams many in the NW. They play/played in 50,000 plus stadia, 60,000 75,000. Lets get behind them an fill what should be the National Stadium. Make it special.

  • Comment posted by U16999417, at 12:12 2 May 2018

    Using bigger stadium v bigger teams seems very sensible

    Perhaps reduce prices to encourage more fans who may otherwise be priced out.

    Perhaps use Liberty Stadium, Zip World Stadium etc for some Wales games.

  • Comment posted by Gareth, at 22:46 2 May 2018

    If the wru can fund a purpose new 75000 seater stadium then the faw should be able to fund a purpose built 40000 seater. And it should be in the North or Mid Wales to create a sporting infrastructure that serves the Welsh nation. Sadly the student village development at the racecourse has permanently restricted it's potential expandability.

  • Comment posted by U16967147, at 20:54 2 May 2018

    @18 Roland
    It's a ref. to a comment you made earlier. I find it ironic that you call a town built around steel a dump when you live in a part of town that's always been associated with slag, and it shroake, btw. Myopic much?

  • Comment posted by Alan , at 12:52 2 May 2018

    Principality Stadium for all comp. games. Cardiff's stadium isn't a National Stadium. Its Cardiff's! Big draw to anyone outside Cardiff? Forget the Euro's, Colman etc. The World Cup. Oh no not their. Move on. Those noisy kids (comment 3) are Wales's future. Not the nostalgia of the past. A National team (for all Wales) should play at its National stadium. MAKE IT OUR STADIUM as well as the rugby.

  • Comment posted by U16967147, at 16:07 2 May 2018

    @13 Roland
    Oh, hi Roland, still dumping on hys, I see.

    Roland, is that a real name? I'm told that they once had one on Grange Hill but I didn't believe it. The crosses we bear.

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