The magic of the FA Cup is alive and well.
After three pulsating quarter-finals, plus Manchester City's procession over Newcastle, the world's oldest cup competition is enjoying something of a renaissance.
The weekend's action culminated in a modern-day epic as Amad Diallo's last-gasp winner in stoppage time of the extra period sealed Manchester United's place in the last eight with a 4-3 win over fiercest rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford.
That followed Coventry dumping out Wolves in similarly dramatic circumstances, while Chelsea needed a brace of late goals to see off a spirited Leicester side.
But with replays set to be scrapped from the third round onwards from next season, and the bulk of the big ties going behind a paywall from 2025-26, what more can be done to protect the FA Cup? We asked our reporters for their views...
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Andy Dunn
Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the Football Association, rightly describes the FA Cup as ‘our crown jewel.’ What a shame he is selling off the crown jewel to the highest bidder, that happens to be an American television company.
Warner Bros. Discovery, who operate TNT Sports, have a four-year deal for the broadcast rights, starting in 2025. There will be a free-to-air ‘partner’ but we all know who will take precedence - the New York-based media giant paying the big bucks.
We did not need the weekend’s quarter-final classics to know that the FA Cup is still in decent health and the imminent abolition of third and fourth round replays will not cheapen the competition.
But putting a lot of the games behind a paywall is hugely disappointing. The FA, don’t forget, is a not-for-profit organisation. The final will remain free-to-air because it is on the list of so-called Grade A sporting events protected by the government.
What a shame the whole competition isn’t.
Tom Victor
The majority of big matches will be behind a paywall from the 2025-26 season (CameraSport via Getty Images)What more can be done to protect the FA Cup? Have your say below.
Barring an immediate reversal of the decision to take FA Cup games off free-to-air TV, there’s one thing that could revive the tournament, but it might not be the most popular of moves.
Fixture congestion concerns have prompted the removal of replays, but you know what could resolve that? Scrapping the League Cup and making the FA Cup the only game in town.
It shouldn’t be seen as a preposterous move. France scrapped its Coupe de la Ligue as recently as 2019, and English football’s equivalent is hardly steeped in as much history as the FA Cup - it was only introduced in the 60s, for starters.
Ditch the League Cup, use those newly open midweek slots for league games which are already paywalled, and keep weekends free for the FA Cup. And it does need to be weekends, giving young and impressionable fans a chance to understand what has made the competition so magical for their parents and grandparents.
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John Cross
The biggest single thing that winds me up about the FA Cup is when they stage the draw before the round is completed.
So, wasn’t it wonderful that the semi final was drawn AFTER the quarter-final epic at Old Trafford? We need to keep a tradition about the FA Cup which is often lost amid TV demands.
I wish they’d move the semi finals back to neutral venues like Villa Park. But judge that against Coventry being thrilled about going to Wembley.
The replays thing wound me up last week. Anyone who remotely follows the FA Cup knows that next season third and fourth replays are being scrapped. So it just felt revisiting that was another chance to give the cup a good kicking. That winds me up!
What I don’t like about scrapping those replays is the money it brings in for lower-league clubs. The new-look deal doesn’t cover that.
That’s the story and in fairness that was all in there but all of a sudden people don’t look past the headline and it’s another chance to say the cup is dying. It’s really not.
If you look at this weekend, it produced classics between Wolves and Coventry, Chelsea and Leicester and at Old Trafford. What did they have in common? They all went for it because they know there is no replay.
It doesn’t detract from the drama - it adds to it. Long live the FA Cup.
Nathan Ridley
Where do I start? First of all, the FA Cup must be kept on free-to-air television, no debate.
This is a competition unlike any other and just as it's accessible for clubs at nine different levels on the pitch, every person in the country should be able to watch - just like England games, but that's an argument for another time. Another point: don't let six clubs - you know which six I mean - spoil the competition for the other 726 by getting rid of replays altogether.
Yes, quarter-finals and semi-finals are almost impossible to replay given the modern-day calendar, but replays in the early rounds should be savoured and the format has provided unparalleled memories for supporters in its proud 153-year history. I'd even reduce the amount of teams in the Premier League if it meant maintaining FA Cup replays.
The greedy six will threaten to play weaker sides, so let them. Let them take away the chance to make lifelong memories at Wembley, let them suffer a lack of success, let them galavant around the globe and contribute to much of what's wrong about our game in 2024.
Finally, although greater prize money would increase the incentive for elite teams, a Champions League place for FA Cup winners is a no-brainer to me. It'd take away attention from the Premier League's top-four race which is brainwashing a generation of fans into prioritising financial gain over a trophy. But enough of those clubs work like that anyway.
Neil Moxley
Maidstone's win at Ipswich will live long in the memory (PA)Allowing any satellite broadcaster to grab the best ties - as TNT will do from 2026 - will damage the competition. One of the main reasons why it is so loved is that the FA Cup is people can tune in when they want.
For instance, how many households - mine was one - with a general interest in football, watched the drama of the Ipswich Town versus Maidstone United tie unfold?
That gave us - sorry Tractor Boys - one of the best stories of this season. The romance of it all was captured by terrestrial television. For all to see.
If they want to protect the FA Cup, they should reverse this decision when the contract runs out.
Scott Trotter
Simply, give the FA Cup winners a Champions League place.
It is a competition that may have already been dominated by the Premier League's top teams and this might reinforce their efforts, but winning a tournament feels a more compelling route into a 'Champions League' than fourth place.
It might not change much in playing terms, but it would automatically add prestige to the competition and would allow teams not usually in contention for the top four the ability to dream if they collect wins at the right time.
Outside of that, perhaps focus needs to be on maintaining some semblance of competitive balance in the Premier League and within the pyramid to ensure more competitive ties and the opportunity for more upsets and jeopardy.
The latter is what creates the best sporting moments. So a settlement from top-flight clubs for the rest of the Football League is imperative.
Neil McLeman
Reports of the death of the FA Cup are greatly exaggerated. Three of the four quarter-finals were thrilling entertainment while only Leicester City have lifted the trophy from outside the Big Six in the last decade.
Credit also to the Foxes for putting out a strong team against Chelsea while they are pushing for promotion to the Premier League. And this year’s surprise semi-finalists Coventry are just a great story to show the tradition of giant-killing is alive and well.
After all this time, it is still a trophy that everyone wants to win. Getting rid of replays and introducing penalty shootouts is progress to help short attention spans and bigger teams still in Europe.
The new TV contract with TNT to show more games but behind a paywall from 2025/26 has the safety net of continued free-to-air coverage in every round.
Cricket and golf have all been hit by taking coverage off terrestrial TV - and keeping Wimbledon on the BBC ensures the fortnight stays at the centre of the nation’s sporting and cultural life. The FA Cup needs and deserves the same.
Coventry beat Wolves with a pair of stoppage-time goals to reach the last four (Getty Images)Daniel Orme
The FA Cup is not dead - and it is nowhere close to it. The weekend’s thrilling matches showed that in full evidence.
Chaos reigned supreme at Molineux, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford and that is exactly the way it should be. This precious bastion of English football must be protected.
To do that, there must be more variation when it comes to TV games. All of the quarter-finals being televised gave fans a perfect indication of the thrill that the FA Cup can give.
But that was an exception. Nobody wanted to see Crystal Palace vs Everton in the third round - maybe even fans of those clubs after the most miserable of 0-0 draws at Selhurst Park.
While shocks and giant killings might not always be in the offing, the FA have to give lower-league clubs more opportunity to appear live. While TV might be the be all and end all to executives, there is also another answer - lower ticket prices, get more fans into stadiums.
Leicester fans were made to pay £38 for their tickets at Stamford Bridge - a scandalous amount. The more chances supporters get to attend matches, the better, and will ensure that the FA Cup can continue to flourish after its recent thrills.
Martin Domin
Just get rid of it.
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