FA Cup replays to be abolished from first round and beyond in 2024-25

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FA Cup replays will be erased from the first round onwards in the 2024-25 competition, NRTC can confirm.

Additionally, all rounds of the FA Cup will be played on weekends. This includes the fifth round which has been played in midweek for the last five seasons.

These changes take effect as part of a new six-year agreement between the Premier League and the Football Association (FA).

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FA Cup replays and other changes

Currently, the FA Cup has no replays from the fifth round onwards. However, the FA says there was a proposal to scrap them from an earlier stage.

It says a decision has now been reached concerning that “in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded UEFA competitions”.

Meanwhile, the Premier League has also removed its mid-season break from the calendar.

Games will commence in mid-August following a successive three-week summer break. This is in place of a shorter spell of rest in the winter, with the conclusion coming reached via “expert advice from medical and technical departments”.

In its current format, the FA Cup has no replays from the fifth round onwards, but the FA says the move to eliminate them from an earlier stage has been made “in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded Uefa competitions”.

Qualifying rounds to have replays, as usual

Also, the qualifying rounds – where teams from the fifth to the 10th tiers of English football compete for 32 spots in the first round – will still have replays.

The FA Cup first round, which is now without replays, sees professional teams from League One and League Two enter. Championship and Premier League clubs join the competition from the third round.

For the first time, the fourth and fifth rounds, as well as the quarter-finals will be played without clashing with any Premier League fixtures.

The fourth round of the FA Cup will be played in an extended window from Friday to Wednesday.