‘Final nail in the coffin’ is just one of the things being said as the FA Cup faces a big shake-up from the 2024/25 season.
According to Mail Online, it could be the end of FA Cup replays while the early rounds are set to be moved to midweeks and the Final looks to be played on an ordinary Premier League weekend from the 2024-25 season in the biggest shake-up in it’s history.
This comes amid news of a surprise deal which would see the Premier League sell overseas TV rights for the FA Cup for ten years from the 2024-25 season, allowing the top-flight clubs control of the entire domestic calendar.
Bending over backwards for ‘elite’ clubs once again. https://t.co/teyKJK5hxn
— The72 – We Love the #EFL (@_The72) July 5, 2023
The Football Association do insist that the tender process for overseas rights remains ongoing, with chief executive Mark Bullingham open minded to accept the Premier League’s offer and their terms, which include:
– The abolition of FA Cup replays.
– The prospect of early rounds of the competition being played midweek.
– The end of a stand-alone weekend for the FA Cup final at the end of the season, with the showpiece occasion being brought forward to clash with a regular weekend of Premier League fixtures every year.
– The FA Cup final will likely be held on the penultimate Saturday of the season, with a full Premier League schedule taking place on the Sunday
– A 10-year deal to sell foreign TV rights for all overseas markets, and the possibility of subsequently selling the domestic rights, which are currently held by BBC and ITV.
– An increased offer payment from the Premier League to the FA to fund grassroots football.
It’s caused urge anger on social media with fans urging the FA not to kill the competition with these changes.
The Premier League want changes to their schedule due to the expansion of the Champions League, which from 2024 will see as many as 10 matches in the group stage.
The FA Cup final could be changed from its traditional slot to instead coincide with the penultimate Saturday of the season, with a full Premier League schedule then played on the Sunday.
Lower division clubs hugely rely on FA Cup replays for revenue and have deep concerns about losing control of their fixture list just to please the Premier League.
Sources at several clubs have said to Mail Sport that the Football Association are taking a bribe from the Premier League bribe to gain more money for the grassroots game at a time when EFL clubs haven’t been given a formal offer for the increased funding package that has been demanded by government.
This move from the FA could also lead to the government taking action to block the new deal especially considering concerns relating to the governing body’s independence and leave them controlled by the Premier League.
There are also claims that the FA are trying to get the deal done as quick as they can before the introduction of the government-backed independent regulator, who would be strong enough to block it. Read more HERE.
Here’s what fans are saying as the FA Cup faces a big shake-up from the 2024/25 season…
@Phil_Hayman1977: The FA CUP should be the final game of the season. Not on the weekend of the premier league season.
@CathalRobinson: The FA cup is well and truly dead
@BFCDrinkers: Would they allow lower ranked clubs to decide where game is played? Sure a minnow would forfeit home advantage for a pay day if FA is pissing about not allowing the minnow to seek home W or replay. This is onto good news for fans of big clubs. Rest of us rely on domestic comps.
@ctsmclovinya: Literally killing the magic of the FA Cup. Why are the FA acting like FIFA?
@hedley_mark: Oh yeah cos non league clubs love playing and travelling midweek after a full days work, why is that necessary? And also if the final isn’t on it’s own separate day it’s another nail in the coffin I’m afraid. Football really is only for the rich now isn’t it.
@mikewilliams992: Terrible, the final should be after the season!
@ash_paris_CY: Shocking – all football now is about elite clubs. Replays can literally finance a lower/non league club for years. Especially if it’s away and they get a big split of the gate receipts
@StormTroop_Aim: If you’re going to scrap replays do what the DFB Pokal does and give the home fixture to the lower ranked team. Let them get a big gate at home in front of TV
@jfsmith98: How does every change in football end up being so wrong
@KaneBethell: Should give the winners a champions league spot instead of 4th place. Then the winner of the league Cup gets a Europa league spot as normal. Soon be teams taking it seriously then when they have the carrot of champions league or can’t rely on 4th place
@jakedavey_: Agree with replays being scrapped, but midweek games puts the interests of the match going fan right to the back of the queue… Final should always be the weekend following the last premier league game too
@nigelray8: It’s a good competition to win but the magic of the FA cup is gone. Growing up watching the final on a Saturday and spending the day watching the build up on BBC1 before the final at 3pm. Those days were magical to watch.
@LostInTheSmog: Replays shouldn’t be scrapped. Big earner for lower league and non-league clubs when up against the best. Advantage to the big teams, unsurprisingly.
@BenSavoo: It never fails to amaze me how little the FA care about tradition and what real football fans want. This is an absolute disgrace.
@buddylove1788: Literally doing everything they can to make this competition less relevant. Who comes up with this nonsense at the FA?
@Daniel_Gaskarth: No consideration for lower league clubs that could make a lot of money from two legs on television
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