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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Brewin

Is a Swiss-style end for FA Cup replays worth trading the family silver for?

The magic of the Cup at Milton Keynes v Taunton in last season’s competition.
The magic of the Cup at Milton Keynes v Taunton last season. Photograph: Dennis Goodwin/ProSports/Shutterstock

SWEET FA

You’ve probably heard of the Swiss system. Come on, you know: “The Swiss system is used for competitions in which there are too many entrants for a full round-robin (all-play-all) to be feasible, and eliminating any competitors before the end of the tournament is undesirable. [1].” That’s the format next season’s Big Cup group stage will be played within. And thereafter, until a Uefa suit eventually clocks that 36 teams playing each other on a rota devised by a supercomputer until late January to cut down to the same 16 that usually fill the knockouts is few people’s idea of appointment viewing in an age of TV on demand and YouTube sensations.

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