Will there be replays in the FA Cup in 2024/25 & what happens if a match ends in a draw?

We take a look at the format of the 2024/25 FA Cup as the oldest domestic cup competition in the world undertakes a significant change.

Are there replays in the FA Cup third round this season?

For just the second time in FA Cup history, there will be no replays in the third round - or any stage of the 2024/25 competition for that matter - a change which has received some criticism.

Why have FA Cup replays been removed?

The move was announced last year and has come into force for the first time in 2024/25 as part of a six-year agreement between the Football Association and the Premier League to help aid 'the constraint on the increasingly crowded fixture calendar'.

The FA stated that the change was made "in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded UEFA competitions," which was in reference to the expansion of this season's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions, together with the recent addition of a third continental competition, the UEFA Conference League.

It means there will be no replays in the FA Cup, from the first round proper onwards, until at least the 2030/31 season, although it appears unlikely that even then there will be any change made to reinstate them.

The only other season in which FA Cup replays have been fully abolished was during the 2020/21 campaign as a result of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But at the time, the FA confirmed that the move was only 'temporary' and was designed to help stem the spread of the virus.

Are there no replays in the FA Cup at all?

Replays took place during the qualifying rounds of the competition where sides between the fifth and 10th tiers of the English football pyramid competed for 32 spots in the first round.

However, as part of the FA Cup six-year agreement, they have been removed from the competition from first round proper onwards.

In recent years, FA Cup replays formed a significant part of the competition, often adding excitement, drama and lucrative cash windfalls to lower-league clubs.

What happens if an FA Cup tie ends in a draw?

With all replays scrapped, FA Cup fixtures will now be played out to a conclusion on the day, with ties being determined by 30 minutes of extra-time and potentially penalties should they end all-square after 90 minutes.

FA Cup replays removal - timeline

When were FA Cup replays removed?

• FA Cup Final Replays (Removed in 1999/20)
• FA Cup Semi-Final Replays (Removed in 1999/20)
• FA Cup Quarter-Final Replays (Removed in 2016/17)
• FA Cup Fifth Round replays (Removed in 2019/20)
• FA Cup Replays - Rounds One, Two, Three and Four (Removed in 2024/25)

Up until the conclusion of the 1998/99 campaign, FA Cup replays were used throughout all rounds of the competition, including the final.

However, since then, there has been a gradual removal of them - leading to this season's total withdrawal.

Other FA Cup rule changes

What changes have been made to the FA Cup from 2024/25?

As well as the scrapping of FA Cup replays, numerous other changes have been made to the competition for the next six years.

Ties in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds (quarter-finals) will be played without clashing with any Premier League fixtures for the first time, whilst the fourth round will be played over an extended window from Friday to Wednesday to allow further live TV broadcasts.

The FA Cup final will now also be moved to the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, and will be staged on a Saturday, with all Premier League fixtures that weekend taking place on the Sunday.

In addition to the above, the Premier League has also agreed to increase its funding to grassroots football, providing an extra £33m.