The FAW/WPL have confirmed this morning that the winners of the Nathaniel MG Cup (League Cup) will be awarded a place in the IRN-BRU Cup competition from the 2019/20 season.

In what is described as a ‘radical shake-up of the competition’, there will also be an increased number of teams participating in the competition and consideration is being given to the removal of extra time.

The future makeup of the competition will include all Tier 2 clubs – following its own separate restructure at the end of this season – which would take the total number of participating clubs from 28 to 46.

The wildcard spaces, a popular feature of the competition in recent seasons, will remain, with two teams from outside Tiers 1 and 2 being granted the final two spaces each season.

The league has also unveiled images of the competitions new trophy which will be awarded to the winners of Saturday’s final between Cardiff Met and Cambrian & Clydach.

Award and trophy specialists Special EFX were commissioned to produce a new trophy after The New Saints became eligible to keep the current trophy, after winning it for a fourth time last season.

“I came across EFX when researching trophy companies and was impressed with similar trophies they had made in the past for the Scottish Women’s Premier League, and for the FA Women’s Super League,” said FAW Marketing and Commercial Executive Matthew Close.

“We gave them a brief and they sent back a few initial designs, after which we focussed on the dragon. After going through a few different revised versions, we eventually settled on the fantastic version that will be awarded on the weekend.”

Below: The new Nathaniel MG Cup trophy