The FA Cup will no longer feature replays during the third and fourth rounds due to scheduling conflicts with the Champions League. In the new format, there are eight Champions League matches compared to the current six group games, making it unfeasible to accommodate the replays.
The FA has announced a six-year deal with the Premier League to eliminate FA Cup replays. This decision has sparked backlash from clubs, with chief exec Trevor Birch expressing disappointment and frustration and advocating for compensation to cover their revenue losses.
This packed schedule will also affect top-flight clubs, as they may be forced to juggle their Carabao Cup fixtures. Champions League participants could potentially play on September 24/25, and Europa League teams the week before, causing potential fixture clashes.
The EFL is planning to keep the Carabao Cup semi-finals as two-legged ties in January. However, the packed calendar will require them to shoehorn matches into an already busy schedule.
UEFA has washed their hands of any date clashes, expecting national bodies to resolve the conflicts themselves without any assistance from Europe’s football chiefs. The first date conflict next season is set for September, during the midweek of 17/18, as the third round of the Carabao Cup coincides with the first Champions League match day.
FA bosses believe they were compelled to make this change. In addition to these changes, the FA provides community members with competitions, special offers, promotions, and adverts from the organization and its partners, offering an option to leave the community if members are not interested.
