English lower league clubs are resisting the elimination of FA Cup replays unless a fresh agreement is established, involving increased financial support from Premier League clubs, as stated by Rick Parry, the chair of the English Football League (EFL), on Tuesday.
A proposed "new deal" for English football aims to discard third and fourth round FA Cup replays and two-legged League Cup semi-finals to accommodate UEFA's expanded European competitions from the next season.
In exchange, top-flight clubs were expected to approve an additional £900 million ($980 million) funding for the football pyramid over the next six years.
However, the approval of the deal is pending, with Premier League clubs reportedly divided on the extent of additional funding and the distribution of the extra costs.
FA Cup replays are crucial for lower league clubs, generating significant revenue through gate receipts and television broadcasts, often amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Speaking at a Culture, Media, and Sport committee meeting, Parry stated, "The Premier League's position has been that the rest of the game has to change and move to accommodate them." He suggested that a solution within the Premier League's control would be to reduce the number of clubs from 20 to 18, but noted that this proposal did not receive a positive response.
As part of the potential new deal, the EFL is willing to accept a substantial loss of revenue from the elimination of FA Cup replays and the second legs of the Carabao League Cup. However, they firmly reject conceding these changes without a finalised agreement.
Several Premier League managers have criticised the persistence of FA Cup replays in recent weeks, with half of the top-flight clubs not enjoying the planned two-week winter break due to their involvement in third-round replays or the League Cup semi-finals. Replays from the fifth round onward have already been abandoned.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank expressed his views on the matter, stating, "A replay, I don't get it. I think tradition is important; we need to protect it in some way. But it's already been cut away a bit. We only have replays in the third and fourth rounds. It's either all or nothing. Cut it. Protect the best cup tournament in the world and make it even more important. Take the replays out and put even more focus on this fantastic tournament."
