THIS weekend’s FA Cup first round will go ahead as scheduled – after Wembley chiefs got the green light from government.
The new lockdown in operation from Thursday raised fears that the 10 “non-elite” clubs left in the competition might have to forfeit their games.
The FA Cup will be allowed to continue despite the lockdownCredit: PA:Press Association
Instead, the Government has confirmed to the FA that the matches can be played under “elite protocols” for Covid-19 safety.
It means all 40 ties will take place, starting with Friday’s night’s clash between Harrogate and Skelmersdale.
But the protocols that are in place means that all the matches must take place behind closed doors.
Even so, the decision confirms a cash lifeline for a number of clubs.
Eight of these ties will be screened by the BBC and BT Sport.
This will include matches involving minnows FC United of Manchester, Tonbridge Angels, Maldon & Tiptree, Hampton & Richmond and Oxford City.
Each club will get £32,500, in addition to prize money of £16,972 for the winners and £5,657 for the losers.
There will also be screening fees worth £12,500 per club for a further eight ties being shown on BBC digital platforms.
In addition the the FA Cup, fans will be pleased to know that the Premier League will carry on despite the lockdown.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden announced on his Twitter feed that elite sport would be allowed to continue during the shutdown.
But fans are still not be allowed to come into stadiums and many will be forced to pay the controversial pay-per-view fee to watch their teams play.
The fee hasn’t been popular with fans and Premier League bosses have come under increasing pressure to scrap it.
Due to the pressure, clubs will review the £14.95 fee at a meeting later this week.
Premier League matches will cost £14.95 on PPV Box Office channels with Man Utd and Chelsea games among first clashes
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
