Football Association bosses have pledged to keep fans informed of any future changes that may be made to the FA Cup.
The PA news agency understands four supporters’ representatives met with members of the FA’s senior leadership on Tuesday afternoon, following reports that an agreement with the Premier League over the sale of overseas FA Cup rights could lead to major changes to the knockout competition including the scrapping of replays, the removal of the FA Cup final’s exclusive slot at the end of the season, and making it a midweek competition.
Fans were told the overseas rights sale was separate to discussions around calendar, which are happening as part of the ‘New Deal For Football’ talks which also include financial distribution between the Premier League, the FA and the EFL, plus cost controls.
The FA representatives present assured fans they value the FA Cup and are determined to do everything they can to protect it, and pledged to discuss the detail of any possible changes once a firm proposal is available to share.
Changes of some sort in both domestic knockout competitions seem inevitable due to an expansion of UEFA’s club competitions from 2024-25 and also the introduction of a new 32-team Club World Cup by FIFA from 2025, plus an extended World Cup from 2026 which impacts upon when players can take their off-season breaks.
However, the FA told fans these considerations have been conflated with the separate process of selling overseas FA Cup rights.
The Infront Sports and Media agency has instructed lawyers over the FA’s handling of the initial tender process for a portion of the international rights.
Infront had been given preferred bidder status for a portion of the overseas rights by the FA in early May in the original process, before the FA paused that process to assess what an Infront statement described as a “third party offer”.
The FA opened a new, longer-term tender which ran from July 4 to 17. Infront is understood not to have made an offer in the new process.
The FA has so far not commented on the tender for its overseas FA Cup rights.
Havertz: Arsenal deserved more than finishing second
Kai Havertz believes Arsenal deserve more after they were pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City.
Arsenal knew they needed to beat Everton in the final game of the season and hope City slipped up at home to West Ham, but though Havertz netted an 89th-minute winner to see off the Toffees 2-1, Pep Guardiola's men ran out 3-1 victors over the Hammers.
City claim a fourth straight Premier League title, while Arsenal finish second again having also finished runners-up last season.
Havertz was left disappointed after the game, believing Arsenal's efforts throughout the campaign warranted a first Premier League crown in 20 years.
Havertz told TNT Sports "What can I say? I feel sorry for all the Arsenal fans. We gave our best but it wasn't enough.
"Maybe in two or three months we can say it was a good fight. Right now, I feel like we deserve more. It wasn't enough in the end but we go again next year."
Havertz's goal against Everton was his 13th of the league campaign, with no German scoring more in a 20-team Premier League season.
After a tough start to life in an Arsenal shirt since joining from Chelsea, Havertz has enjoyed a strong end to the campaign.
Havertz was proud of his and his team-mates' efforts, saying: "We showed great character again, they [Everton] didn't make it easy for us. They took time with every throw and every ball. In my opinion it's sometimes not fair in football but we have to accept that football is hard.
"Hopefully we can go again next year and give Arsenal fans what they need and what they're all here for."
When asked if he had a message for Gunners fans, Havertz stated: "Right now, I can't even think. It's just so frustrating. It's tough.
"I can tell them next year that we're going to be an even better team and we're going to give everything again. That's all I can say."
Inter 1-1 Lazio: Dumfries grabs late draw for champions
A late header from Denzel Dumfries earned Serie A champions Inter a 1-1 home draw against Lazio after Daichi Kamada gave the visitors a first-half lead.
Inter have 93 points, while Lazio are in seventh place on 60 with one match to play.
Lazio are level on points with sixth-placed rivals Roma, who are set to play against Genoa later on Sunday.
Kamada broke the deadlock for the visitors in the 32nd minute with a well-placed low shot into the corner from just outside the box, after each of the sides had several chances.
Both teams continued to attack after the break, with Dumfries beating his marker at the far post to head in the equaliser from a free kick in the 87th minute.
Data Debrief: Inter worthy of late leveller
A defeat would have been harsh on Inter, who generated a higher xG (1.58 vs 0.6) and had 19 shots compared to just eight from Lazio.
But Inter have now drawn three of their last five Serie A home games, which is as many draws as they had in their previous 49 home matches in the competition.
This game also saw Lazio's Felipe Anderson come off the bench to play his 250th match in Serie A.
De Bruyne ranks comeback title triumph among most special moments
Kevin De Bruyne ranks his sixth Premier League title triumph as one of his most special, having fought back from injury to help Manchester City make history.
City became the first team to win four English top-flight titles in a row on Sunday, with Phil Foden scoring twice and Rodri also on target in a 3-1 final-day win over West Ham.
That result ensured they edged out Arsenal by two points at the summit, despite the Gunners fighting back from 1-0 down to beat Everton 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
De Bruyne finished with four goals and 10 assists in just 18 Premier League appearances in 2023-24, having suffered a hamstring injury against Burnley on the opening matchday that kept him out until January.
Speaking to Sky Sports in the aftermath of City's trophy presentation, De Bruyne said: "It feels as special as the first one, to do something historic is amazing.
"For me this is one of my most special. I had a tough year, being out for six months, but then to come back in the way I could, to help the team win and be at a good level, it was a great achievement personally."
De Bruyne's comeback came in a 3-2 win at Newcastle United in January, when he came off the bench to score City's equaliser and supply a sensational pass for Oscar Bobb's last-gasp winner.
He believes that game was something of a turning point in the campaign, saying: "I can't speak for the team but for me it was like a perfect kickstart.
"I'm just happy that I came back in a run where I could help the team. They had done a great job in the first half of the season, and we're here again.
"The manager sets the tone but this team… we just enjoy playing with each other. It's not a team with big egos, we run like crazy, we want to perform well and we just enjoy it."
City have now gone unbeaten through their last 35 games in all competitions (29 wins, six draws), the longest run ever by a Premier League team, and they could yet secure a double as they face Manchester United in next week's FA Cup final.
Only Nottingham Forest, who went 40 without defeat between March and November 1978, have ever enjoyed a longer streak in English top-flight history.
Speaking alongside De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva was asked which of his six title triumphs meant the most to him.
"All of them, but the first one is always the most special," he said. "Obviously doing four in a row, something that was never done before, is unbelievable.
"The margins are so small. We beat Liverpool in two seasons by one point, then Arsenal this season by two points, we've been lucky enough to have these small margins.
"Four in a row is such a special achievement. We're so, so proud, and so happy."
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