FA Cup Replays to be Scrapped from First Round Onwards Starting Next Season

 


The Football Association (FA) has announced that FA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round onwards starting next season. This decision is part of an agreement with the Premier League and has been made in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded UEFA competitions.


Previously, replays were dropped from the fifth round onwards. With the new change, all rounds of the FA Cup will now be played at weekends, including the fifth round, which has been played in midweek for the past five seasons.


The increased pressure on the domestic calendar, particularly due to the Champions League featuring an extra 64 games from next season, has prompted this move. As a result, there will be no Premier League matches on weekends set aside for the fourth and fifth rounds, as well as the quarter-finals.


Teams from the third and fourth tiers of English football enter the FA Cup in the first round, with Premier League and Championship clubs joining from the third round. The changes will also mean the removal of the mid-season break from the calendar.


The Premier League will start the 2024/25 season in mid-August to give players a consecutive three-week break, following expert advice from medical and technical departments. The changes are part of a six-year agreement and are aimed at securing funding for grassroots football, with the Premier League providing up to an additional £33 million ($41 million) for this purpose.


FA chief executive Mark Bullingham emphasized the importance of securing a strong format for the FA Cup, which generates over 60% of the FA's revenue to invest in the game. He also highlighted the benefits of the longer summer period, which allows for a much-needed player break before the start of the next season.


Premier League chief executive Richard Masters expressed commitment to enhancing the scheduling of the FA Cup, emphasizing its importance as a domestic competition with a storied history.


FA Cup Replays to be Scrapped from First Round Onwards Starting Next Season


The Football Association (FA) has announced that FA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round onwards starting next season. This decision is part of an agreement with the Premier League and has been made in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded UEFA competitions.


Previously, replays were dropped from the fifth round onwards. With the new change, all rounds of the FA Cup will now be played at weekends, including the fifth round, which has been played in midweek for the past five seasons.


The increased pressure on the domestic calendar, particularly due to the Champions League featuring an extra 64 games from next season, has prompted this move. As a result, there will be no Premier League matches on weekends set aside for the fourth and fifth rounds, as well as the quarter-finals.


Teams from the third and fourth tiers of English football enter the FA Cup in the first round, with Premier League and Championship clubs joining from the third round. The changes will also mean the removal of the mid-season break from the calendar.


The Premier League will start the 2024/25 season in mid-August to give players a consecutive three-week break, following expert advice from medical and technical departments. The changes are part of a six-year agreement and are aimed at securing funding for grassroots football, with the Premier League providing up to an additional £33 million ($41 million) for this purpose.


FA chief executive Mark Bullingham emphasized the importance of securing a strong format for the FA Cup, which generates over 60% of the FA's revenue to invest in the game. He also highlighted the benefits of the longer summer period, which allows for a much-needed player break before the start of the next season.


Premier League chief executive Richard Masters expressed commitment to enhancing the scheduling of the FA Cup, emphasizing its importance as a domestic competition with a storied history.







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