Welsh football bosses reveal cost to improve facilities

The FAW-backed review saw local clubs and local authorities – and other sporting bodies - feed into a survey of current facilities.

It highlighted several key areas lacking against demand, including only 43% of grass pitches designated as either "poor" or "unclassified", while 18 of the 22 local areas were underserved by artificial surfaces. Changing facilities were also underserved.

With participation numbers reaching a new high of 120,000 registered players earlier this month, demand is expected to increase.

The FAW invests into grassroots via the Cymru Football Foundation, which also receives funding from Sport Wales, Welsh Government, the English Premier League as well as local partners.

But Mooney has long called for greater support from Cardiff Bay and, speaking to BBC Politics Wales on Sunday, outlined hopes of fresh support from the new Plaid Cymru Welsh government.

With sport now the responsibility of a senior minister – Plaid's Heledd Fychan – Mooney said: "It's something we've looked for a long time to have a minister responsible for sport... what that means tangibly is we need more funding for facilities.

"Football has now 120,000 registered players, our new strategy will look to grow more and more - and we need great facilities to do that.

"We've got an opportunity to reset how sport is funded in Wales, and we're very confident this government will do just that."

Mooney also suggested the appointment of a minister for public and preventative health could "allow us to access resources that will get people playing more sport."

The Welsh Government said: "This Welsh Government is committed to working closely with governing bodies to expand opportunities and remove barriers in sport.

"We will commission an audit of community and regional sporting facilities and will engage with key partners, including national governing bodies, to inform targeted capital investment over the government term. Football facilities will be an important consideration in taking forward these commitments."