FA Cup replays set to be scrapped as European tournaments expand
The FA is set to scrap replays in the the Third and Fourth Rounds of the FA Cup, as the Champions League and Europa League expand in their first phases next season.
Transcript
00:00 Replays in the third and fourth round of the FA Cup are set to be scrapped by the FA in order to accommodate room for expansions in European competitions, increasing the pressure on the domestic calendar to fit all of the games in.
00:15 Whilst some would argue that this is a necessary step, others would suggest that such a move is highly detrimental to the FA Cup and what it stands for. The third round is where the Premier League and Championship teams join the competition, and is where they could face teams who have made it through from the lower leagues.
00:34 To teams from the lower divisions, replays can be highly beneficial financially, especially if they can bring a big club back to their home ground, leading to huge gate revenues and potentially bringing in television money.
00:48 Once again, football has a tricky decision to make. Whilst giving players enough rest time is important, the benefits of replays to smaller clubs cannot be understated.