FA Cup replays will return this season after they were cancelled for the last campaign as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
FA Cup Replays to Return
A Boost for Lower League Clubs
This season, 729 clubs from all over England and Wales will compete for the 2021/22 FA Cup. The road to Wembley begins as early as Saturday, August 7 for teams in the lower echelons of the pyramid, where many will be boosted by the return of replays.
Last season, replays were scrapped due to the campaign being played in full in a shorter calendar as a knock-on result of the coronavirus pandemic. While it saved further travel and additional fixtures, lower league clubs missed out in what would have been extra revenue, should they have taken bigger opposition to a replay.
Now though, replays have returned and will once again give fans from said lower league clubs the chance to compete against the greater teams from around the country, and maybe earn a visit to a top club in a return fixture. It is often these fixtures that ignite the magic of this competition, with top-flight clubs coming unstuck against lower league opposition in dilapidated stadiums.
Of course, the additional fixtures are likely to cause frustration for those clubs that are competing in multiple competitions, but in those incidents, maybe they should try and win the game in 90 minutes, considering they have more than enough talent in their squads.
FA Cup Return
Despite the lack of replays last season, the FA Cup was still won by a ‘surprise package’ as Leicester City won the final against Chelsea.
It was the Foxes first triumph in the competition, despite reaching the final on four previous occasions.
Now, the likes of regular recent winners in Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, among others, will be looking to secure the historical silverware, which will be the 150th campaign in its history.
The prize fund will remain at £16 million, while there will also be payments to both the winners and losers in all rounds of the qualifying rounds, but payments will only be made to the winners from the first round proper through to the quarter-final.
Main Photo
