Welshpool's fanzone will allow Wales fans to enjoy community spirit without the cost of going to Qatar, one of its organisers has said.
A number of Fan Zones will be held at Welshpool Town Hall to allow residents to gather as a group to watch Wales’ matches in the 2022 World Cup.
Organised by Welshpool Town Council as part of The Football Association of Wales’ Gwyl Cymru Festival programme, which has organised ways for Welsh fans to watch the matches as a community across the country.
The Welshpool Fan Zones are designed to be family friendly spaces where people can watch the games in a safe and welcoming crowd environment.
Cllr Ben Gwalchmai, who conceived and organised the initiative in Welshpool, said: “The FanZone was born out of discussions with friends, some of whom are part of The Red Wall, who can't afford to go to Qatar, who don't necessarily want to go to a pub, but do want a feeling of community spirit - especially in the coming Winter of Discontent.
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“When I put the idea forward, other councillors saw it as I do, a means for us to do something positive, community building, nation building, and to celebrate Wales' place in the World Cup with as many of the people of Welshpool that want to come to a family-friendly space.
“We invite all the local villages and communities around Welshpool to let people know that the Town Hall and the Town Council welcomes them too and that we're actively looking for more ways to bring people into the Town Hall, such as providing a Warm Bank from the October half-term so that those of us who are worried about money can have some relief, too.”
The first event takes place on Monday, November 21, for Wales vs USA which kicks off at 7pm.
The second match sees Wales take on Iran on November 25 at 10am, before the crunch tie against England on November 29 at 7pm.
A large projector has been donated to the Town Hall by Powis Castle while Cllr Nick Howells has offered his large PA system, so the games will be broadcast live at Town Hall on a big screen with adequate sound.
Cllr Gwalchmai added: “As a town council, we hope this Fanzone will set a precedent and mean that come Six Nations, we'll be ready to stream the games in the town hall for all the rugby fans; we're also exploring other ways we might use a similar setup in the future.
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