Wales has seven cities as of September 2022. Bangor is Wales' oldest cathedral city, whereas St Davids is the smallest city in the United Kingdom. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and its most-populous, followed by Swansea the second most-populous. Since 2000, Welsh towns have submitted bids to be awarded city status as part of jubilees of the reigning British monarch or for other events, such as the millennium celebrations, with Newport, St Asaph and Wrexham awarded city status through these contests. Wrexham is the newest to hold the status, being awarded it in September 2022 as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours of Queen Elizabeth II.
Since 2000, Welsh towns have competed in a contest to be awarded city status, as part of civic honours in notable celebrations, like the millennium celebrations or the Jubilee of the reigning monarch. The 2000 contest was criticised for having no Welsh bid be successful.
Merthyr Tydfil councillors voted against a proposal to bid for city status for 2022 which followed feedback.
In January 2024, Llanelli Town Council announced that they would submit a bid later that year, for Llanelli to potentially get city status. In March 2024, the Llanelli Chamber of Trade and Commerce launched the campaign and bid for city status.