Wales captain Davies joins FAW council

Ben Davies signed a new one-year contract with Tottenham in June to keep him at the London club for a 13th season [Getty Images] Wales captain Ben Davies has joined the Football Association of Wales (FAW) council. The 32-year-old Tottenham Hotspur defender is one of eight new appointments that include former Bristol City head coach Lauren Smith, currently an assistant at Manchester City. Davies, who has a degree in business and economics, passed a century of caps for Wales in October 2025 and has played more than 350 games for Spurs since joining from hometown club Swansea City in 2014. The FAW say the new appointments mark "another significant milestone" in the delivery of its 'Together Stronger for the Future' reform. "One of the ambitions of our governance reforms was to ensure the people helping shape the future of Welsh football better reflect the game we serve today," said FAW chief executive Noel Mooney. "These appointments achieve exactly that. We have welcomed individuals with outstanding experience from elite football, grassroots football, supporter engagement, governance and community development, alongside young people who will represent the next generation of Welsh football." Joining Davies as a player representative on the council is Charl Galloway, co-founder of the Her Game Too Training Centre. Smith, who has previously been on the Wales women's coaching team, is joined as a coaching representative by Cardiff Draconians manager Nana Baah. Dr Penny Miles and Gareth Watts have been appointed to reflect supporters views, while Eleeza Khan and Begw Elain have been named as youth council representatives. "Football in Wales is stronger when the people around the council table reflect the people who make our game so special," said FAW president Mike Jones. "These appointments bring together an outstanding mix of experience, knowledge and fresh perspectives, while ensuring the voices of players, coaches, supporters and young people are represented as we shape the future of Welsh football."