Premier League clubs are looking to push through changes to the English domestic season in order to reduce the number of games being played.
Among the proposals being considered are the abolition of FA Cup replays, reducing the League Cup semi-finals to just one game and – most strikingly – scheduling FA Cup games to be midweek only.
According to The Sun, Premier League clubs and the FA are ‘broadly in agreement over the issue’ as they look to achieve a winter break similar to those of Europe’s continental leagues.
FA Cup replays are fantastic….as long as it isn't your team playing.
— Dana Wessel (@DanaWessel) February 9, 2016
FA Cup replays are particularly beneficial to smaller clubs as the gate receipts from all FA Cup ties are split evenly between the two teams playing in the game.
This means that a lower league team will hit the jackpot should they find themselves playing at a stadium like Old Trafford or The Emirates.
But officials are worried that star players are being scared away by England’s fixture congestion, as they believe they can play in fewer games – and achieve a higher standard of play – in countries like Spain or Germany.
