The FA Cup will undergo the biggest shake-up in its history with ALL replays scrapped from next season.
It is certain to upset the traditionalists and fans of the world ’s oldest cup competition with it being described as a “final nail in the coffin” for the football pyramid. But Football Association chiefs have brokered a six-year agreement with the Premier League which will see:
It is impossible to quantify how much EFL clubs could earn from the scrapping of replays but FA chiefs do believe the fact ties now go straight to penalties mean teams set out to win the one-off games rather than play for a replay.
FA chiefs believe the extra cash is a huge boost for the grassroots game and the Cup has also been left squeezed by UEFA’s Champions League revamp which will lead to eight group matches rather than the current six.
Fair Game CEO Niall Couper said: “Scrapping FA Cup replays from the first round proper deprives lower league clubs of a much-needed source of revenue.
“This is a short-sighted move that does nothing to strengthen the game. It is another nail in the coffin for the already crumbling football pyramid.”
Nicola Palios, vice chair of Tranmere Rovers, said: “729 teams compete in the the FA Cup. Why is its format being dictated by the Premier League who represent about three per cent of them? Why were EFL clubs not given a say?
“ The FA and the Premier League have reached an agreement to suit themselves further at the expense of the rest of the football pyramid.”
But FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “The FA Cup is our biggest asset. This new agreement between the FA and the Premier League strengthens the FA Cup and gives this very special tournament exclusive weekends in an increasingly busy calendar.
“We have also agreed new funding for the grassroots game, disability football and the women's and girls' game. All football begins at the grassroots, and this is recognised by the Premier League with very welcome additional financial support.”
EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch said: “This is frustrating and disappointing given the calendar is a shared asset across football and as we have consistently said a whole game approach is required to find solutions to complex fixture scheduling challenges.
“Our domestic calendar has been put under extreme pressure by the expansion of UEFA competitions and ultimately this represents another lost traditional revenue stream for EFL clubs at a time when the financial gap between the biggest clubs and those further down the pyramid is growing bigger than ever. We will now be discussing the implications for EFL clubs and seeking appropriate compensation arrangements.”
Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango voiced his concern about a lack of joined up thinking in football to look after player welfare.
Molango said: “What football needs is a collective approach to a properly thought-out global fixture calendar - not a fight for available dates.
“The decision to stop replays at every stage of the FA Cup has ultimately been a result of calendar pressure driven by the expansion of FIFA and UEFA competitions.
“It shows how decisions that are made at an international level have a knock-on impact which affects clubs, and players, throughout the pyramid.
“The current unsustainable approach to the calendar needs to be seen as an issue for every club at every level if we want to continue to protect our domestic competitions.”