Big change confirmed for next season’s FA Cup

This has been a big change confirmed for next season’s Emirates FA Cup with club’s fixture schedules already expected to be a hectic one.

It comes on the same day the decision was made that the Premier League will resume on September the 12th with the English Football League season also restarting on the same date. Finishing dates are May 23rd for the Prem and May 9th for the EFL.

Trying to squeeze all the fixtures in will have potentially huge knock-on effects for the two domestic cup competitions, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, the latter potentially without teams who qualify for Europe.

To help with the fixture congestion, the Football Association have agreed to scrap FA Cup replays for just the upcoming season.

The Mirror first revealed that ALL replays won’t go ahead for one season only, even though the third and fourth round replays are usually where money is highly lucrative for lower division clubs as well as providing big upsets.

A row is brewing with top flight clubs and the EFL, with Premier League teams in the Champions League and Europa League threatening to pull out of the Carabao Cup if they can’t field under-23s teams in the competition next season.

They maintained in stating that there is no way that their senior squad will be fit enough to play out the fixtures with an already packed fixture schedule.

Fair to say the warning sign was Liverpool last season who put out their youngsters so that the first team could compete in the Club World Cup in Qatar, with the two tournaments clashing

The FA have already scrapped replays from the fifth round onwards to help out those Premier League sides.

There were huge concerns a few months ago when reports emerged stating that non league minnows could be EXCLUDED from the FA Cup if next season is delayed, a huge blow for teams.

English Football League clubs reportedly wants that the First Round Proper to take place in its usual slot of November.

It leaves many fearing that qualifying rounds will be scrapped if the full football pyramid fail to start the next campaign on time in August, which is still the hope, despite plans for the top two tiers of English football looking likely to restart the season in June.

A total of 739 clubs entered the FA Cup this season, and it starts with the first extra preliminary round in early August.

Though it could be that just the fourth qualifying round, which takes place in mid-October, will be the only round prior to the first round to take place next season in order for league fixtures to be completed.

If so, the only non league clubs participating in the FA Cup next season will be of those from the National League, National League North and National League South.

Those who would missed out are said to already be in discussion with the boards of several lower leagues.

One proposal is that the FA spread the regular prize fund to all clubs, though that would depend on their own financial situation.

Clubs receive prize money for winning in each round of the cup and reaching the first round proper would have earned teams £46,000 this season, a significant income to many who have an annual turnover of barely £100,000.

National League club Sutton United for example got as far as the fifth round in 2017, which bagged them a total of £700,000 in prize money and TV fees.

Non league clubs waited a fair while for a decision to be put to them, meaning they have had no choice but to let players’ contracts run down to save money over the summer and in order to survive, whilst hoping the Government not only gives the green light to allow fans back in stadiums, but also puts money into them.

It goes to show how important of the FA Cup means to top teams that it’s barely had a mention in all the talks over Project Restart, so much so that Chris Wilder of Sheffield United urged for some clarity.

Just six days ago, the FA released dates for the 2020/21 non league season.

• Step 1 & 2: No earlier than Saturday, 5th September 2020
• Steps 3 & 4: Saturday, 19th September 2020
• Steps 5 & 6: From Saturday 5th September 2020
• FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round: Tuesday, 1st September 2020
• FA Cup Preliminary Round: Saturday, 12th September 2020
• FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round: Tuesday, 22nd September 2020
• FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round: Saturday, 19th September 2020
• FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round: Saturday, 10th October 2020
• FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round, 26th September 2020
• FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round, 17th October 2020
• End date for the season: No later than Saturday, 15th May 2021

The FA wants the full 736 clubs to participate in this year’s FA Cup.

In total 889 teams have applied.

Normally some Step 6 sides qualify based on the previous season’s league performance.

This year, draws will be used to select clubs from each Step 6 league.

Fans have reacted to the big change confirmed for next season’s FA Cup…

Months ago I said that the Carabao should be an under 23’s / injury rehab competition for premier league clubs
A lot do it anyway so why not make it official

— James Hadley (@jameshadley272) July 24, 2020

League Cup is pointless. Scrap it for this season.

— Cal (@callum_wj) July 24, 2020

Let’s change everything for the premier league while teams in the efl are being ignored or helped by the fa and the efl #notfitforpurpose

— dougie alexander (@bfc72) July 24, 2020

They can’t get rid of the Carabao cup, it’s bad enough they have scrapped replays. Just to suit the top 6-7 clubs who play in Europe and I’m a united fan. We have big enough squads it just damages the lower league clubs football is all wrong these days

— Scott (@scoboyp) July 24, 2020

Hate FA Cup replays. So many times a little team fights to get a draw at home only to get a kicking in the replay.

— Elvis Royal ®️ (@royal_elvis) July 24, 2020

Hmmmmmmmmm.

And I hope the 153 clubs who miss out are financially compensated for the missed potential revenue.

I won’t hold my breath.

— FootiePrint – Non-League Design & Print Solutions (@FootiePrint) July 24, 2020

It is a sad day for English football to see no more FA cup replays.#FridayMotivation #FridayFeeling

— Patrick Sharkey (@PatrickSharke13) July 24, 2020

No replays in the FA Cup next season? ?

— Mark (@poshfanupnorth) July 24, 2020

And when they get them they still cry if the big teams beat them with their five year olds so can’t win

— ‘ (@Aran0123) July 24, 2020

Play at away if you are against lower leagues clubs

— C in China is Corona (@hmm_er) July 24, 2020

Good. They’re completely unnecessary, should scrap extra time as well

— Skayze (@SamKayze1) July 24, 2020