New FA Cup format: What are the changes and their implications?
The FA and the Premier League have announced as of Thursday April 18th they will be updating the FA Cup calendar and format for the 2024/25 season.
All FA Cup rounds will now be played on weekends from next season onward, including the fifth round and the quarter finals. There will be no Premier League action on the same weekend, with the intention of drawing additional viewers to the FA Cup.
This exclusive agreement will be in place for a minimum of six years, and would mean top-flight teams won’t double up on their fixtures in one game week. In order to further increase the involvement, the FA Cup final will hereafter be played on an exclusive Saturday with no PL matches on the day or the Friday before.
The part of the statement dividing opinion like no other is the scrapping of the replays from the very first round. “The current format, which has no replays from the fifth round onwards, has been extended throughout the ‘Competition Proper’ in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded UEFA competitions.”
It was also revealed that the PL would add an extra £33 million towards the expansion of grassroots football in the country.
Many clubs across the pyramid have already expressed their concerns over the change in format.
It’s understood that replays infuse an element of unpredictability and add to the magic of the cup, besides the obvious, essential revenue generation.
Recently crowned League One champions Portsmouth FC stated “Replays are part of the fabric of the FA Cup and inject much-needed revenue throughout the entire football pyramid. We firmly stand with other clubs and supporters across the country in demanding that this decision is urgently reviewed and reconsidered.”
Indeed, the famous cup competitions ensure clubs at the lower end of the divisions remain sustainable.
Most teams have highlighted the lack of communication from the FA, as they only consulted the Premier League and took decisions.
‘Condemning’ the same, Tranmere Rovers wrote in their press release “There was no consultation with Football League clubs, National League clubs or grassroots clubs to whom the competition represents not only their best opportunity to create life-long memories for supporters but also a hugely important source of income. We also understand that FA Council members were not consulted about the changes.”
“The decision, and the way it was taken, demonstrate a total lack of respect for the football pyramid and its fans. Football belongs to all of us and decisions should not be taken in back room deals in which only the very wealthiest clubs are allowed to participate.”
The FA replied to the sentiments, claiming that in a set of meetings held earlier, they discussed with the EFL, and all parties concerned accepted the rule to discontinue replays.
The response stressed an increase in broadcasting exclusivity for the FA Cup as well as player welfare amongst other counterarguments.
It remains to be seen whether more steps will be taken to compensate the lower league clubs in any form, given the pressure they’ve exerted on the FA.
The semi-finals of the competition take place this weekend, with Manchester City taking on Chelsea and Coventry up against Manchester United.
-Roy Akarshak
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Philosophy Football. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.