Minnows may be out of FA Cup before it starts
by Joe Bernstein - Mail on Sunday

Hundreds of small clubs could be excluded from the 2020-21 FA Cup if the start to the season is delayed.

With EFL clubs insisting that the first round proper should take place in its usual November slot there are growing fears that qualifying rounds for non-league teams will be scrapped if the full football pyramid fail to start the next campaign on time in August.

A total of 739 clubs entered the FA Cup last season with the first extra preliminary round being played in early August. But there is concern that only the fourth qualifying round in mid-October will take place next season. 

That would leave room for only 64 non-league clubs from the National League, National League North and National League South with clubs in leagues lower than those, unable to enter.

Fears of missing out have already been discussed by the boards of several lower leagues. With their clubs already hit badly by the lockdown, one proposal is that the Football Association divide the regular prize fund to all clubs, though that would depend on the FA's own financial situation.

Last edited by Matchman (24/5/2020 5:32 PM)