England World Cup dreams and FA Cup at risk from fixture pile-up, FA warns | OneFootball

England’s prospects in future World Cups and the prestige of the FA Cup are at risk due to escalating fixture congestion, the Football Association has warned.

The governing body highlighted the increasing demands placed on elite players by the expansion of Uefa club competitions and the introduction of a 32-team Club World Cup.

Despite the FA’s decision to scrap cup replays in an effort to ease the packed schedule, it concedes that domestic competitions face further devaluation with the addition of more international club tournaments.

In its 2024-25 annual report, published on Thursday, the FA stated: "A significant challenge each season is to balance the development of the global competition calendar with the imperative of protecting player welfare."

The report added that this task is "complicated by the ambitions of competition owners to expand their events within an already crowded schedule."

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FA Cup replays have already been scrapped (AFP/Getty)

The FA further elaborated on the potential impact, noting: "The ongoing discussions regarding future structural changes to the game, such as the introduction of new tournaments (eg Fifa Club World Cup), further intensify this challenge.

“These changes have the potential to significantly reduce the downtime available to elite players, affecting their recovery and overall well-being."

It warned that "the introduction of more global competitions risks devaluing traditional domestic tournaments, such as the FA Cup, and may affect the performance of our national teams due to increased player fatigue and reduced time for international squad training. These factors could have financial implications for us."

The FA affirmed its commitment to "remain vigilant in monitoring these proposed changes" and to "engaging with all football stakeholders to advocate for solutions that safeguard the interests of the players and the integrity of the sport."

Unlike the Premier League, which has also criticised Fifa for a perceived lack of consultation over calendar changes, the FA holds direct influence at Uefa and FIFA as a member association with voting rights.

However, sources have previously expressed frustration at what they view as the FA’s failure to leverage this influence for the benefit of the English domestic game.

Concerns are mounting among domestic league sources that FIFA, potentially backed by the European Football Clubs group, could push for the Club World Cup to be held every two years, rather than the current four-year cycle.

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An Oasis fan holds a banner and poses for a photo on Wembley Way (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

The FA’s annual report also cited an anticipated reduction in income from international FA Cup broadcast rights as the primary reason behind a £44m drop in operating profits compared to the previous year.

Despite this, the FA reported generating just under £100m, an increase of more than £20m from 2024, through events staged at Wembley.

This included a five-night residency by Taylor Swift and the initial three nights of Oasis’ Live 25 reunion tour, both falling within the reporting period.

The report also disclosed that chief executive Mark Bullingham received £887,000 in 2025, a decrease from £1.32m in 2024, with the latter figure including a £450,000 award from a 2022-24 Long Term Incentive Plan and a £60,000 final payment from a legacy bonus scheme.