England’s Football Association (FA) Cup replays are set to be eliminated from the first round onwards in the 2024-25 competition.
Additionally, all rounds of the Emirates FA Cup will be scheduled on weekends, including the fifth round, which has been played midweek for the past five seasons.
These changes are part of a new six-year agreement between the Football Association (FA) and the Premier League.
As a result, the Premier League has also removed its mid-season break from the calendar.
Matches will kick off in mid-August after a consecutive three-week summer break instead of a shorter rest period in winter, based on guidance from medical and technical departments.
The FA Cup’s format currently eliminates replays from the fifth round onwards, but the decision to scrap them from an earlier stage is attributed to calendar changes prompted by expanded UEFA competitions.
Although replays will still feature in the FA Cup qualifying rounds, the first round will see the entry of professional teams from League One and League Two, with Championship and Premier League teams joining from the third round.
Further adjustments include scheduling the fourth and fifth rounds, as well as the quarter-finals, without overlapping with any Premier League fixtures for the first time.
The fourth round will span from Friday to Wednesday in an extended window, with Saturday designated as the primary matchday. Additionally, the Friday preceding the final will be independent of any Premier League matches to allow focus on the event buildup.
The agreement also entails an increase in funding from the Premier League to grassroots football, with an additional £33 million allocated.
“The FA Cup is our biggest asset,” said FA chief executive, Mark Bullingham.
“This new agreement between the FA and the Premier League strengthens the FA Cup and gives this very special tournament exclusive weekends in an increasingly busy calendar.
“We have also agreed new funding for the grassroots game, disability football and the women’s and girls’ game.
“All football begins at the grassroots, and this is recognised by the Premier League with very welcome additional financial support,” Bullingham added.
