Key Highlights
- There are no plans to move the final from Wembley.
- aul Childs/Action Images/ReutersWomen’s FA Cup to have seeded teams and no draw after last 32 under radical proposalsFA plans sent to clubs are subject to consultationFA determined to grow Cup’s ‘commercial potential’The Football Association has proposed radical changes to the Women’s FA Cup, including seeding four teams and dispensing with a draw after the last 32. The plans would introduce a “road-to-Wembley bracket” from the last 32, which would map out those teams’ route to the final, in the style of a World Cup. Champions Cup and WSL talking points: Arsenal rule the world but tournament needs a rethinkRead moreThe changes could come in next season, although final plans have not been agreed, according to communication sent to the clubs by the FA in an email on Monday, which repeatedly emphasised a need to grow the competition’s revenue. That summary document, seen by the Guardian, describes the plan to seed four clubs as a “temporary adjustment, reflecting the current developmental stage of the women’s pyramid” and claims the idea will create the “highest chances of consistent high-quality matches throughout the later rounds” of the Cup.
- The seeded teams would be the top four from the previous season’s Women’s Super League. According to sources, the plans have received significant opposition from clubs.
- A consultation process with clubs is ongoing and, after an upcoming period of feedback, a final submission will be made to the FA’s board in April. The proposals have been made after an FA-commissioned review of the competition, which was founded in 1970.
- The review concluded that the brand name “FA Cup” had significant heritage and should not be changed, that the final must remain at Wembley, where it has been held since 2015, and that no additional rounds should be added, in order to protect player welfare.
