FA Cup and Premier League implement new scheduling agreement

A new six-year agreement between the Football Association and the Premier League has introduced significant changes to the English football calendar to manage increasing fixture congestion. The deal aims to protect both the FA Cup and the Premier League by providing dedicated scheduling space.

Under the new arrangement, every round of the FA Cup Competition Proper is played exclusively on weekends. To prevent direct competition for attention and broadcast slots, the fourth round, fifth round, and quarter-finals are scheduled on weekends without Premier League fixtures. Additionally, the FA Cup final has been repositioned to take place on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season on an exclusive Saturday.