EFL League One · League One · Cardiff, South Glamorgan, England · Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff City Football Club
The only Welsh club to have won the FA Cup and played in the Premier League, Cardiff City carry the weight of a unique cross-border identity, a passionate fanbase that has endured the turbulence of Vincent Tan's ownership, and now face the challenge of rebuilding after relegation to League One.
2010–2018
Vincent Tan and the Premier League
Promotion, controversy, and a single top-flight season
Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan took over Cardiff City in 2010 and immediately courted controversy by rebranding the club's traditional blue kit to red and replacing the bluebird crest with a dragon, arguing it would boost the club's appeal in Asian markets. Despite the backlash, Tan's investment helped fund the squad that Malky Mackay led to the 2012-13 Championship title and promotion to the Premier League.
The Premier League season of 2013-14 ended in relegation, and Mackay was sacked amid acrimonious circumstances. Tan eventually reversed the colour change in January 2015 following sustained supporter pressure, restoring the blue kit and bluebird crest. The club spent the following years in the Championship, with Neil Warnock leading a surprise promotion in 2017-18 — only for another immediate relegation to follow.
The period was also marked by tragedy. In January 2019, striker Emiliano Sala died when the light aircraft carrying him from Nantes to Cardiff crashed into the English Channel. The incident shocked the football world and led to protracted legal disputes between Cardiff, Nantes, and various intermediaries.
Key Facts
- Vincent Tan took over in 2010 and controversially changed the kit to red
- Won the 2012-13 Championship to reach the Premier League
- Promoted again in 2017-18 under Neil Warnock, relegated in 2018-19
- Emiliano Sala tragically died in a plane crash in January 2019
2019–Present
Championship Decline and League One
Managerial upheaval and a slide to the third tier
After relegation from the Premier League in 2019, Cardiff spent six seasons in the Championship, gradually declining from play-off contenders to relegation battlers. A revolving door of managers — Neil Harris, Mick McCarthy, Steve Morison, Mark Hudson, Erol Bulut, and Omer Riza — reflected an ownership structure that struggled to provide consistent direction.
The 2024-25 season proved disastrous. Bulut was sacked after six winless games to start the campaign, and his replacement Riza fared little better. Aaron Ramsey, the former Arsenal and Juventus midfielder, took interim charge for the final three games but could not prevent relegation to League One — the club's first spell in the third tier in over 20 years. Cardiff finished bottom of the Championship with just 44 points.
Brian Barry-Murphy was appointed as manager for the 2025-26 League One campaign, tasked with rebuilding a squad and restoring confidence to a club whose recent trajectory has been alarming.
Key Facts
- Six different managers in six Championship seasons after 2019 relegation
- Relegated from the Championship in 2024-25, finishing 24th with 44 points
- First spell in League One in over 20 years
- Brian Barry-Murphy appointed as manager for 2025-26