2026 in Wales

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Events from the year 2026 in Wales.

Events

January

  • 1 January
    • Blood bike volunteer Andrew Rogers, of Haycastle, Pembrokeshire, dies in hospital from injuries sustained after his motorcycle was involved in a crash with another vehicle on the A61 on 29 December.[1]
    • The mystery runner in the Nos Galan road race is Jess Fishlock.[2]
  • 4 January – Snow and ice prompt the closure of 30 schools due to return the following day from the Christmas holiday.[3]
  • 5 January
    • Snow and ice warnings are issued for Tuesday 6 January as the cold snap continues.[4]
    • A man is fined £500 after admitting dressing as a Royal Navy admiral at a Remembrance Sunday event in Llandudno in November 2024 without having permission to wear the uniform.[5]
  • 6 January – The Met Office issues a warning for heavy snow for Thursday 8 January and Friday 9 January ahead of the arrival of Storm Goretti, the first named storm of 2026.[6]
  • 7 January – At a hearing at Mold Crown Court, Miles Cross, who sold chemicals online to help people commit suicide, is sentenced to 14 years in prison.[7]
  • 8 January – Storm Goretti: An amber weather warning comes into force as heavy snow falls in Wales, with warnings of potential avalanches in places.[8]
  • 9 January – The impact of Storm Goretti continues with warnings for ice, fog and wintry showers in place until midday on Saturday 10 December.[9]
  • 11 January – Archaeologists discover the remains of a large Roman villa at Margam Country Park near Port Talbot.[10]
  • 12 January – Rhydian Lynne Rhys Jamieson, who tried to kill his baby daughter by throwing her at a television and causing her serious injuries, is sentenced to 35 years in prison.[11]
  • 20 January
    • Member of the Senedd and shadow cabinet James Evans is expelled from the Welsh Conservatives after telling leader Darren Millar he is involved in talks to join Reform UK. Reform's leader, Nigel Farage, later says he has held no such talks with Evans.[12]
    • A dead nest belonging to the invasive Asian hornet species has been found near Wrexham, and is the first confirmed presence of the hornets in Wales.[13]
    • Demolition begins on Coney Beach Amusement Park, which closed in October after more than a century in operation.[14]
  • 21 January – A photographer has captured a rare orange cephalopod octopus on a beach at Tenby, Pembrokeshire.[15]
  • 23 January – At a hearing at Newport Crown Court, Richard Downey, aged 55, is sentenced to eight years in prison for a sexual assault committed against a 13-year-old schoolgirl in September 1997. The conviction was secured following advances in DNA technology.[16]
  • 27 January – The Senedd votes to approve the 2026 Welsh budget, worth £27bn, following a deal between Labour and Plaid Cymru.[17]
  • 29 January – A road tunnel on the A55 at Conwy is closed following a collision between a car and a heavy goods vehicle in which a woman is killed.[18]
  • 30 January
    • Following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Jordan Mills-Smith, Joshua Gordon, Melissa Quailey-Dashper and Kristina Ginova, are found guilty of the murder of Joanne Penney, who was shot dead when she answered the door of a flat she was visiting in Talbot Green in March 2025. A fifth defendant, Marcus Huntley, pleaded guilty to murder earlier in the trial. The five will be sentenced at a later date.[19]
    • Cardiff City Council votes to use only silent or low noise fireworks at future displays in order to protect pets and children.[20]

February

  • 1 February – The Met Office issues a severe weather alert for icy conditions overnight for 1–2 February as temperatures are forecast to drop significantly.[21]
  • 3 February – The Senedd approves Welsh Government proposals to increase the minimum unit price of alcohol by 30%, from 50p to 65p, from October.[22]
  • 5 February
  • 7 February – A 15-year-old boy is remanded in youth detention by magistrates at Swansea charged with the attempted murder of a teacher in Milford Haven.[28]
  • 9 February – Firefighters attend a large blaze at an industrial estate in Caerphilly county.[29]
  • 10 February
    • Following a trial at Swansea Crown Court, Thomas Morgan is convicted of the murder of his partner's five-month-old baby in March 2024 after the child suffered catastrophic brain injuries as a result of being violently shaken.[30]
    • Bangor University's Debating and Political Society refuses a request for a question and answer session from Reform UK campaigner Jack Anderton and MP Sarah Pochin, citing "zero tolerance for any form of racism, transphobia or homophobia displayed by the members of Reform". The University distances itself from the decision.[31]
  • 11 February – Reform UK's Francesca O'Brien says the party will not defund Bangor University after the party's Head of Policy, Zia Yusuf, suggested they would remove £30m of funding from the university after its debating society rejected a request for a Q&A session by two Reform politicians.[32]
  • 12 February – Two senior parliamentary aides to Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar – former deputy chief of staff Zak Weaver and senior communications officer Tomos Llewelyn – defect to Reform UK on the eve of the Welsh Conservative Party conference in Llandudno.[33]
  • 18 February
    • Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces £14bn of government investment in Welsh railways.[34]
    • A yellow weather warning for snow and ice is issued for 18 of Wales's 32 counties, which is in force until 10am on Thursday 19 February.[35]

Predicted and scheduled

Sport

Arts

Music

  • An Act of Piracy (opera) by Richard Parry[40]

Holidays

Further information: Public holidays in Wales

Source:[41][42]

Deaths

See also

References

  1. ^ McCarthy, James (2 January 2026). "Volunteer blood biker dies after Carmarthenshire crash". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Footballer Jess Fishlock appears as 2025 Nos Galan mystery runner". BBC News. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  3. ^ Bourne, Nicholas (4 January 2026). "Wales snow and ice weather warnings prompt school closures". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  4. ^ Greene, Dylan; Herbert, Danielle (4 January 2026). "Wales snow and ice weather warnings shut schools". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  5. ^ Herd, George; Slow, Oliver (5 January 2026). "Fake admiral admits dressing as navy official at Remembrance Sunday event in Llandudno". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  6. ^ Ferguson, Angela; Greene, Dylan (6 January 2026). "Storm Goretti brings heavy snow warning to Wales". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  7. ^ Iwan, Telor; Edwards, Oscar; Easedale, Sarah (7 January 2026). "Wrexham man jailed for selling assisted suicide chemicals online". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  8. ^ Matthews, Antonia; Ferguson, Angela (7 January 2026). "Storm Goretti sparks Wales avalanche warning and thundersnow". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  9. ^ Matthews, Antonia (9 January 2026). "Ice warning as Storm Goretti impact lingers in Wales". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  10. ^ Messenger, Steffan (11 January 2026). "Margam park Roman villa find could be 'Port Talbot's Pompeii'". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  11. ^ Williams, Meleri (12 January 2026). "Rhys Jamieson sentenced to 35 years for attempted murder of baby daughter". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  12. ^ Deans, David (20 January 2026). "Conservative Senedd politician kicked out of party for Reform talks". BBC News. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  13. ^ Edwards, Oscar (20 January 2026). "Asian hornet sighting in Wales prompts Welsh government warning". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  14. ^ Mohammed, Lena-Zaharah (20 January 2026). "Demolition of Porthcawl's century-old Coney Beach funfair begins". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  15. ^ Edwards, Oscar (21 January 2026). "Rare octopus spotted on Tenby's North Beach before vanishing". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
  16. ^ Aitken, Catriona (23 January 2026). "Man jailed for 1997 sexual assault on 13-year-old near Blackwood". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  17. ^ Deans, David (27 January 2026). "Senedd approves Welsh government's budget after Plaid Cymru deal". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  18. ^ McCarthy, James; Ferguson, Angela (29 January 2026). "Woman dead after fatal crash closes tunnel on A55 crash in Conwy". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  19. ^ Iwan, Telor; Fairclough, Stephen (30 January 2026). "Joanne Penney: Four found guilty of Talbot Green murder". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  20. ^ Molloy, Kieran (30 January 2026). "Cardiff council backs 'silent' fireworks rule to protect pets and kids". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Wales' ice weather warning issued as temperatures set to fall". BBC News. BBC. 1 February 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  22. ^ Palmer, Mark; Browne, Adrian (3 February 2026). "Minimum alcohol price in Wales to rise by 30%". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  23. ^ Ferguson, Angela (5 February 2026). "Boy, 15, arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after teacher injured at Milford Haven school". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  24. ^ Browne, Adrian; Deans, David (5 February 2026). "Reform Welsh leader Dan Thomas unveiled by Nigel Farage". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  25. ^ "Reform UK candidate 'humbled and honoured' after winning Anglesey by-election". North Wales Chronicle. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  26. ^ Davies, Jordan; Matthews, Antonia (6 February 2026). "Caerphilly: Five arrested after 17-year-old dies". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  27. ^ Harrison, Holly (7 February 2026). "Abertridwr murder investigation continues as boy, 17, named". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  28. ^ Davies, Elen (7 February 2026). "Boy charged after teacher stabbed at Pembrokeshire high school". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  29. ^ "Firefighters tackling large blaze at Pontllanfraith industrial units". BBC News. BBC. 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  30. ^ Dafydd, Sara (10 February 2026). "Man found guilty of murdering five-month-old baby in Swansea". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  31. ^ Ferguson, Angela; Williams, Brendon (10 February 2026). "Bangor university student society bans Reform UK for 'racism, transphobia and homophobia'". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  32. ^ Deans, David; Palmer, Mark (11 February 2026). "Reform will not defund Bangor university, politician says". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  33. ^ Deans, David; Lewis, Gareth (12 February 2026). "Welsh Tory leader attacks Reform as staff quit on eve of conference". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  34. ^ Davies, Cemlyn; Deans, David (18 February 2026). "Wales trains: New stations in £14bn UK government rail funding promise". BBC News. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  35. ^ Pigott, Paul (18 February 2026). "Travel disruption possible as Wales snow and ice warning issued". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  36. ^ Owens, Cathy (8 September 2021). "What to expect from the next five years in Welsh politics". WalesOnline. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  37. ^ Ian Lewis (19 May 2025). "More than 1,000 people attend Narberth proclamation ceremony ahead of 2026 National Eisteddfod". InYourArea. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  38. ^ "Wales and Israel to stage U19 EURO in 2026 and 2027". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  39. ^ "Wales to host UEFA U19 Euro Championship 2026". faw.cymru. FAW. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  40. ^ "Cowbridge church premieres new opera". Glamorgan Star. 9 January 2026. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  41. ^ "England Bank Holidays 2026". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  42. ^ "UK bank holidays". UK Government. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  43. ^ "Molly Parkin, fashion editor whose real-life adventures were as outlandish as her raunchiest novels". 5 January 2026. Retrieved 5 January 2026 – via The Telegraph.
  44. ^ "A warrior touched by tragedy – Terry Yorath obituary". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  45. ^ "Tony Jones o'r ddeuawd 'Tony ac Aloma' wedi marw yn 86 oed". BBC Cymru Fyw (in Welsh). 1 February 2026. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
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