Under-19s finals to 'whet appetite' for Euro 2028
· Yahoo Sports
Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Noel Mooney says this summer's Uefa Men's Under-19 finals in north Wales will "whet the appetite" prior to co-hosting Euro 2028.
Cardiff will stage the opening game of the European Championships in two years' time with Wales one of four host nations alongside England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
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With Wales failing to qualify for this year's World Cup finals, the focus now turns to the next Euros, which Mooney says will be "phenomenal" for Welsh football.
"It's two years out of 2028 of course so the association is starting to look towards that," Mooney told BBC Sport Wales.
"This competition gives us an opportunity to prepare almost for that.
"This tournament will whet the appetite."
The Under-19 tournament is being held in north Wales in a year which sees the FAW celebrate its 150th anniversary.
The association was formed in Wrexham in 1876 and Mooney hopes that this summer's tournament will ensure a lasting legacy for football in north Wales.
"If you look at the enthusiasm for football across north Wales, it's huge," added Mooney.
"This tournament will just add more fuel onto the fire of what is the halcyon days of football across north Wales.
The FAW chief executive says the legacy of the U19 tournament will be important.
"While this tournament is the best of football coming to north Wales for us it's a bit more about the future in terms of the talent that gets to play against these ones which is good for the national teams," he said.
"But there's also a legacy for the domestic game.
"We're investing millions of pounds in facilities across north Wales.
"So these stadiums and training venues in villages and towns across north Wales will very much leave a lasting memory for Welsh football."
Wrexham's Stok Cae Ras – the oldest international football venue still in existence – will host a total of five games including the final.
Bangor's Nantporth Stadium, Central Park in Denbigh and The Oval in Caernarfon will also host games with other venues in the region used as training grounds for the competing nations.
"I think it's a great opportunity to host such a tournament and to spread it as well into different communities." said Uefa head of men's national team competition Marcello Alleca.
"We look forward to this engagement with the public attending and joining us to see the matches.
"We support the Welsh FA who have taken this important decision, together with the stakeholders, to invest in infrastructure upgrades in an area which maybe hasn't had this opportunity in the past, so we welcome that."
Wales faced Germany - one of their opponents this summer - in a friendly at Denbigh's Central Park last November [FAW]Chris Gunter's Wales have been given a tough draw in this summer's Under-19s finals – facing former winners Germany and Spain along with Denmark.
Craig Bellamy will be keeping a close eye on Wales' performances and Mooney says the tournament is crucial for the player pathway into the senior squad.
"If you think about it, in recent times we've qualified for two Under-17 tournaments back-to-back," Mooney said.
"It was the first time in 41 years that we'd played at a boys' Uefa tournament.
"Those kids have experienced two European Championship and some of them will come through to this Under-19s.
"That means that they will have gone 17s, 19s and for some of them they might go right through to a senior Euros which is the pinnacle of the game in a space of a few years.
"It's really exciting for the players and our job is to make sure the young player gets the chance to fulfil their full potential."
Wales' young players – along with those representing the other seven nations in this summer's tournament – will be reminded of those that went before them who went on to greater things.
Harry Kane, Erling Haarland and Kylian Mbappe are among a stellar list of players who have represented their countries at the Under-19s finals.
"This is a tournament that is of great importance, with in the past, stars coming out of it," added Uefa's Alleca.
"We will discover certainly new ones and see a lot of good skills in these matches."