Welsh football has been plunged into mourning following the tragic passing of Afan Lido FC forward Ioan Evans, who died at just 25 years of age.
The JD Cymru South outfit confirmed the devastating news earlier today, expressing profound sorrow at losing one of their most cherished players.
"With the heaviest of hearts everyone at Afan Lido FC is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Ioan Evans," the club stated.
"We don't really have the words to adequately express our grief at this time."
Ioan Evans was described as "immensely popular with everybody" and a dedicated servant to the team
|The club described Evans as "immensely popular with everybody" and a dedicated servant to the team.
Evans had established himself as one of Afan Lido's most dependable performers since arriving at the club in October 2020.
The forward accumulated 127 appearances and found the net 16 times during his tenure, becoming one of the longest-serving members of the squad.
He led the side as captain on numerous occasions and earned recognition for his consistent displays by claiming both the managers' player of the year and players' player of the year honours last season.
Remarkably, Evans had featured for the club as recently as Friday evening, playing in their 2-0 defeat against Pontypridd.
"He was the smallest man in the room who had the biggest impact on those around him," the club added.
Evans hailed from the Rhondda valley and went on to study at Cardiff Metropolitan University, where he also represented the institution on the pitch.
During his time with the Archers, he made a single JD Cymru Premier appearance against Llanelli Town in April 2019.
That same season proved particularly memorable as Evans was part of the matchday squad when Cardiff Met secured a historic penalty shootout victory over Bala Town in the play-off final.
The triumph marked the first occasion the university club had qualified for European competition, with the side entering the Europa League preliminary round.
With the heaviest of hearts everyone at Afan Lido FC is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Ioan Evans.
— Afan Lido F.C. (@CPDLidoAfan) February 2, 2026
We don’t really have the words to adequately express our grief at this time.
Ioan loved being a Lido player, a committed club man, and he was immensely popular. pic.twitter.com/VExTfVgmf9
The Football Association of Wales and JD Cymru Leagues expressed their devastation at the news, offering sincere condolences to Evans' loved ones and adding the Welsh phrase "Cwsg mewn hedd, Ioan" – sleep in peace.
Tributes swiftly arrived from across the Welsh football pyramid, with Barry Town United hailing him as "a fantastic young man and a credit to your club."
Haverfordwest County and Goytre United were among numerous clubs sending messages of support, the latter describing Evans as "an excellent footballer" and "a tremendous person."
As a mark of respect, Friday's Welsh Blood Service League Cup fixture between Newport City and Afan Lido has been postponed.