The Football Association could be poised to scrap FA Cup replays in the third and fourth rounds in an effort to ease fixture congestion after the death of Queen Elizabeth II prompted multiple Premier League games to be postponed.
No matches were played during gameweek seven, with the Premier League confirming all fixtures had been postponed as a mark of respect for the monarch, who died aged 96. EFL and National League games were also postponed, though other sports - including the cricket test between England and South Africa - went ahead over the weekend.
Further matches have been postponed for the upcoming weekend, with police forces said to be stretched ahead of the Queen's funeral on September 19. Brighton v Crystal Palace had already been postponed due to planned rail strikes, while Manchester United v Leeds United and Chelsea v Liverpool will also not go ahead.
Replays for later rounds of the FA Cup have already been permanently scrapped. The 2015-16 season was the last with quarter-final replays, while fifth-round replays haven't been held since 2017-18.
Now, according to PA, third and fourth round replays could be removed from this season's competition. They have already been temporarily removed in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, in efforts to ease fixture congestion amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
This season's fixture list has already been squeezed due to the World Cup being held in November and December rather than its usual summer slot. Premier League teams have fewer available dates to rearrange postponed games as their international players prepare to jet off for Qatar in November.
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"Premier League fixtures will resume this weekend after a pause to the season as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," a Premier League statement about the upcoming games read. "Seven of the 10 Premier League fixtures this weekend will be played, with three matches postponed due to events surrounding The Queen’s funeral."
"Following extensive consultation with clubs, police, local Safety Advisory Groups and other relevant authorities, there was no other option but to postpone the three fixtures.
"The Premier League would like to thank the UK Football Policing Unit and other police forces across the country, as well as our broadcast partners, for their support during this process, and will continue to liaise with them ahead of the weekend."
In addition to the postponement of three Premier League games, Arsenal's Europa League game at home to PSV Eindhoven on Thursday will not go ahead as planned. A statement from the Dutch side made reference to "insufficient deployment of police personnel" being available in the days leading up to the Queen's funeral.
