FA Cup quarter-final replays scrapped from 2016/17 season

In a bid to reduce fixture congestion, the last-eight stage of the competition will revert to sudden-death

Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick lift the FA Cup trophy at Wembley (Getty)

The Football Association has announced FA Cup quarter-final replays will be scrapped from next season.

In a move approved by the FA board on Thursday, the last-eight stage of the cup competition will revert to a sudden-death format over one weekend in a bid to ease English football's congested fixture list.

FA chief executive Martin Glenn said: "The Emirates FA Cup remains at the heart of English football and this change adds to the excitement of the competition and will benefit the wider game in general.

"With great attendances and TV figures across the BBC and BT Sport, this season has confirmed the cup's special status - underlined by great stories culminating in Manchester United's triumph at Wembley last Saturday.

"In a demanding calendar and with increased pressures on fans, it is important we move with the times and consider new innovations such as last week's successful non-league finals day which saw 50,000 fans at Wembley for the Vase and Trophy."

Glenn added on the FA website: "While fully respecting tradition and history, this new development will help the cup retain its status as a much-loved and world-renowned competition."

PA