 Wales yakatadza kupinda mumakwikwi mana ekutanga eEFAFA European Championship kubva payakatanga muna 1960; muna 1976, timu inotungamirwa naMike Smith yakasvika kumaquarter-fainari emakwikwi, yapedza pamusoro peGroup 2 yekukodzera pamberi peHungary, Austria neLuxembourg, asi izvi hazvina kutariswa sechikamu chemakwikwi ekupedzisira. Pamberi pa1980, nyika ina chete ndidzo dzakakwanisa kuenda kumakwikwi ekupedzisira, uye Wales yakasarudzwa kuti itambe nevakundi veGroup 3 Yugoslavia mumakwikwi maviri, pamba uye kure. Wales yakarasikirwa nechikamu chekutanga 20 muZagreb uye yakabviswa mumakwikwi mushure mekunge 11 yakadhindwa mumutambo wekudzoka wakashata paCardiffs Ninian Park, iyo yakasvibiswa nematambudziko evanhu. Ikoku kwakatungamirira pakutanga kuWales kurambidzwa kupinda mumutambo wa 1980, asi izvi zvakaderedzwa pakukwirira kusvika pakurambidzwa kwemakore mana kwemitambo yekukodzera inotambwa mukati memakiromita zana kubva kuCardiff. Yugoslavia yakapedza iri yechina mumutambo wa1976. 