A number of EFL and National League clubs will consider boycotting next season’s FA Cup following the decision to scrap replays, i has been told.
A series of seismic changes to the world’s oldest domestic cup competition were announced on Thursday following an agreement between the Premier League and FA and “in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded Uefa competitions”.
Executives and board members from League One, League Two and National League clubs are keen to gauge whether there is enough support for widespread action, which could also include organising public protests against the Premier League.
One chairman told i replays were a “lifeline” for clubs further down the pyramid in the absence of a financial redistribution deal, which recently collapsed when Premier League clubs failed to come to an agreement. The chairman added “the Premier League seem intent on disbanding [the pyramid] piece by piece”.
Under the current format, in the event of a draw replays take place until the fourth round, after which ties go to extra time and penalties. The changes, which will also see all FA Cup games taking place at weekends, will be in place for five years – but clubs are urging the FA to consider a U-turn given the significant financial fillip replays provide to clubs outside the top divisions.
The EFL say there was “no agreement” with them before the announcement was made and “nor was there any formal consultation with EFL clubs as members of the FA and participants in the competition”.
“This latest agreement between the Premier League and the FA, in the absence of financial reform, is just a further example of how the EFL and its Clubs are being marginalised in favour of others further up the pyramid and that only serves to threaten the future of the English game,” a statement read.
The FA responded on Friday by saying they would keep the “additional revenue opportunities in the early rounds” under review to ensure that “EFL and National League clubs do not lose out”.
“We have listened to the concerns expressed over the last 24 hours, and would like to outline the approval process which was undertaken for the 2024-25 professional game football calendar,” a statement read.
“Removing FA Cup replays was discussed in the early meetings and all parties accepted that they could not continue. The discussions then focused on how to make all of our competitions stronger, despite having fewer dates available and wanting to maintain player welfare.
Key changes to the FA Cup from 2024-25
- Replays will now only take place in qualifying rounds
- FA Cup games will only take place on weekends
- The FA Cup final will now take place on the penultimate Saturday of the Premier League season
- The fourth round, fifth round, quarter-final and final will now take place on days or weekend without Premier League games
“The changes to the FA Cup achieve this by returning it to a weekend competition on every round, and ensuring that we have exclusive broadcast slots in an increasingly congested calendar. To clarify, we have also increased the number of FA Cup matches that will be broadcast in the early rounds, which will lead to additional guaranteed broadcast revenue for EFL and National League teams.
“Additionally, we review the prize money annually for the competition, together with representatives from the EFL and PL and will do the same for the 2024-25 season.
“The calendar for next season was approved by the Professional Game Board, which consists of four EFL representatives and four Premier League representatives, last month, and then by the FA board, which includes Premier League, EFL, national game and grassroots representation. This is the process we undergo every year to approve the calendar.
Manchester United famously withdrew from the FA Cup in the 1999-2000 season due to their participation in the Fifa Club World Cup in South America – and on Friday manager Erik ten Hag added his voice to the debate ahead of his side’s cup semi-final against Coventry City at Wembley.
“It’s very sad for the British football culture but I think it is also inevitable,” Ten Hag said.
“No one can do anything for [about] it, it’s due to the overload in the schedule. That’s dictated by Fifa and Uefa and it is part of Uefa. We are a big competition, we have a big influence and a big impact but Fifa and Uefa, there are so many other countries and there is so much overload on the players and it has to stop. As I said, I feel really sad for the clubs in football but for top players, make some space in the schedule.
While Ten Hag insisted the schedule needed to change to protect elite players, the UK Government has been cranking up the pressure on the FA.
“We know that replays have been a welcome source of income for smaller clubs throughout the years,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“These are however decisions for the footballing authorities, but clearly it is incumbent on the FA and Premier League to explain this decision and why it is in the interest of fans.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has proposed a change to the Football Governance Bill, which is due to be heard in the House of Commons on Monday, “to require that any domestic cup competition can only be changed with a majority vote of all clubs eligible to enter it”.
Fans have also started a petition to reinstate replays, or at the very least hold a vote among participating teams.
