The FA and The @premierleague have reached an agreement to strengthen the #EmiratesFACup format and increase support for grassroots football.

Swipe for details ➡️

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 18, 2024

The FA and the Premier League have agreed new changes to the FA cup format which heavily favour the Premier League.

The biggest change will see the removal of replays from the first round onwards. Now replays will only occur in the qualifying rounds for the cup tournament.

This is explained to be due to the fixture congestion but with the main bonus of being replays being that it benefits the lower league clubs, it's hard to see this change as nothing else other than siding with the Premier League clubs.

Other changes have been made such as there now being no Premier League fixtures on FA Cup weekends up to the Quarter final, all FA cup rounds being exclusively on weekends and the Premier League have committed £33 million to Grassroots Football in addition to the £100 million already in agreement.

The decision for replays being scrapped has caused uproar amongs fans all over the country.

Chairman of Acrrington Stanley, Andy Holt, wasn't best pleased with the news as can be seen by his post on 'X' here:

If anything screams the need for an independent regulator today, it’s this. https://t.co/LxbjzydIRy

— Andyh (@AndyhHolt) April 18, 2024

There will be more conversation around this topic and it will definitely unify the EFL and non-league in their opposition to such changes to the oldest cup competition in Football.

These new changes will be in affect from the 2024-25 season onwards.