Top English soccer officials are set to discuss potentially massive changes to the sport within the country. The revisions of the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup and the Community Shield will be discussed. A meeting to discuss these possible modifications is scheduled for Friday.
The Times reports that six leading officials from the Premier League, FA and EFL will be present at the summit. Premier League Chairman Alison Brittain, along with her counterparts Debbie Hewitt (FA) and Rick Parry (EFL) will attend the meeting. Chief Executives Richard Masters (EPL), Mark Bullingham (FA) and Trevor Birch (EFL) will also join.
Changes to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup could alleviate player burnout in English football
Potential changes to the FA Cup include ending replays earlier in the competition. The tournament currently has replays up to the fourth round. However, the big clubs want to end the repetitions in the third round of play. This is the stage where Premier League teams enter the competition.
The Carabao Cup matches could be set for even bigger modifications. One potential move could be to ban clubs currently playing in Europe from competing. Obviously, this would affect the biggest teams in the country. Another option could also be to have these teams field U21 squads for the Carabao Cup. The EFL is apparently open to these ideas, but is seeking financial compensation.
These changes are in the works to help alleviate player burnout. Both the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup will be expanded in the near future. Massive clubs boasting international stars already play plenty of games each year, and it will only increase. Changes to the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup would address these concerns.
The big clubs want the Community Shield to move
The big teams in the Premier League also want to change the Community Shield. Normally played a week before the start of the top flight, teams claim it affects their ability to adequately prepare for the grueling Premier League campaign. A mid-season matchup could be in the works for the friendly game. Playing Community Shield abroad is also on the table.
Moving the Community Shield would also free up more time for preseason matches. Reports of a possible Premier League pre-season tour of the United States surfaced a few months ago.
Like most things with sports, money is a big factor in these discussions. Lower tier teams have been negotiating a $356m funding increase from the Premier League. However, top-flight teams have reportedly only gotten as high as $190 million thus far. Friday’s meeting would give the parties a chance to meet in the middle.
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