CUP FOR IT
England risk World Cup ban as huge storm kicks off over FA Cup replays being scrapped
The Government has waded into the row after major change was announced this month
MPs demanding a U-turn on the FA Cup replay row could risk England being banned by Fifa.
During the second reading of the Football Regulation bill in Westminster on Tuesday, former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron promised to propose an amendment to give the Regulator the power to force the FA to reintroduce replays.
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He argued, with backing from MPs across the House, that all member clubs must have a vote on deciding the rules of the competition.
Yet such a move by the Regulator would leave open the possibility that Fifa could determine the FA had been subjected to “government interference” in the running of the game.
That would be a breach of membership rules.
In recent years, the world governing body has temporarily suspended the football associations of Zimbabwe, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Pakistan because of outside influence.
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Last night, it emerged that Spain’s government could take over the RFEF (Spanish FA) following disgraced ex-president Luis Rubiales’ kiss-gate scandal at the Women's World Cup final.
That could see them run the same ban risk as England, although in reality such a punishment is unlikely.
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Last week, the English FA announced plans to scrap all replays in the FA Cup.
Every round will now also be played on a weekend.
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While there will be no clashes with the Premier League in the fourth and fifth rounds, as well as the quarters.
The final will also be played on a Saturday, with no Prem fixtures to take place on the same day.
But in another major change, it will take place before the final match of the Premier League campaign.
Lower-tier clubs have been left in uproar, with some EFL and National League sides even threatening to boycott the FA Cup next season.
An EFL statement read: "The EFL wishes to clarify further its position in respect of yesterday’s Premier League and Football Association bi-lateral announcement over the removal of FA Cup replays and the role of the League’s representatives on the Professional Game Board (PGB).
"The agreement which now sees the abolition of replays from the competition format was agreed solely between the Premier League and FA.
"Ahead of the deal being announced there was no agreement with the EFL nor was there any formal consultation with EFL clubs as members of the FA and participants in the competition.
"In September 2023, the EFL did initially discuss with clubs potential changes to the FA Cup format but only as part of a wider and more fundamental change to financial distributions.
"As is now clear, there has been no movement in this area since September.
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"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.
"The EFL today calls on both the Premier League and the FA, as the Governing body, to re-evaluate their approach to their footballing partnership with the EFL and engage more collaboratively on issues directly affecting our clubs."
Why FA Cup changes are GOOD NEWS
By Martin Lipton
THE FA and Premier League should have done the deal to scrap FA Cup replays years ago.
No doubt traditionalists will moan but it is right that the competition has finally been brought into the 21st century.
Ending replays will bring extra sharpness and excitement to the ties, with the knowledge that there will be a winner, whether in 90 minutes, extra-time or penalties.
If big guns have a bad day, they are more likely to pay the price. Replays after draws give them a fall-back they do not deserve.
Giving the FA Cup total and absolute priority over four weekends - and ensuring there is no competing match on the day of the Final - will enhance the profile of a competition that was in danger of falling out of the spotlight.
And as long as the FA ensures a better split of the prize money fund, weighting it more towards the earlier rounds, and potentially a similar move with TV match money, there should be few losers.
Read more on the FA Cup by clicking here.
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