Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport County and Colwyn Bay currently have no way into Europe.

But the FAW have moved towards letting them into the Welsh Cup next season.

The Cup winners would be put forward for the Uefa Cup by the FAW in 2005/6, though Uefa could still choose to turn down the application.

The exiled clubs have been barred from the competition for nearly 10 years because Uefa said they could not play in both the Welsh Cup and FA Cup.

Since then, Welsh football's premier club competition has lost much of its prestige and the Welsh clubs playing in European competitions have hardly won a game.

But the FAW's international committee has backed their exiles' return, and it is expected to get the final go-ahead in next month's council meeting.

"My personal view has always been that all the clubs in Wales should play in the Welsh Cup," Welsh Premier secretary John Deakin told the South Wales Echo.

Swansea City manager Kenny Jackett welcomed the announcement.

"It would be a fantastic opportunity for us to try to qualify for European football," he said.