Fixtures Calendar - 2026/27

JGL07 said:
Don't blame the TV companies. blame the PL for signing the deal.

The current structure for the Premier League, the Champions League and the domestic cups is unsustainable. There have been some changes including getting rid of cup replays. The only 'easy' option is to bin the stupid two-legged League Cup Semi-finals.

The obvious solution is to reduce the size of the Premier League from its current 20 teams. They did manage to reduce it from 22 to 20 a few years back with little pain. A reduction to 18 would knock four matches from the schedule. France did this recently starting with the 2023-24 season.

The problem is how to get that voted through by the PL as well over half the League will be asked to vote to potentially relegate themselves.
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I’m old enough to remember the 22 team top league format, that’s when there were no International breaks, those matches were played midweek.

I don’t want to see a reduction to 18 teams, it’s ok for non competitive leagues like France and Germany as PSG and Bayern will win it most years, it would dilute the Premier League and as we saw towards the end of the season teams started tinkering with their line up’s, it would be even worse with less jeopardy.

I’m on board with no Cup replays in any competition but agree the League Cup semis should be one legged, just a toss of the coin to decide the home advantage.

Also, the Conference Cup needs fucking off, Chelsea will be delighted they finished 1 point behind Brighton to miss out this year. It’s just an unnecessary hindrance, their CL aspirations are increased this coming season by not having to schlep all over Europe to win a proper two bob cup that was brought in to increase UEFA’s coffers. I know West Ham and Palace kind of embraced it but it’s proper shit competition.
 
chris63 said:
If you qualify for any of the European competitions you should be excluded from the league cup.
Or just cancel it anyway. The FA cups enough. Don't think any other leagues play for 2 domestic cups.
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The only countries within the top 20 leagues in Europe to have a second domestic cup are England, Portugal and Scotland. England is the only one where winning it guarantees a place in UEFA competition the following season.

France had a second cup competition that was discontinued in 2020 due to fixture congestion.
 
chris63 said:
If you qualify for any of the European competitions you should be excluded from the league cup.
Or just cancel it anyway. The FA cups enough. Don't think any other leagues play for 2 domestic cups.
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Take the teams in Europe out of the League Cup. The winners will still be good enough to make a decent run in the Conference so UEFA don't have to worry about top sides not entering it.
 
Ho Chi Man City said:
I’m old enough to remember the 22 team top league format, that’s when there were no International breaks, those matches were played midweek.

I don’t want to see a reduction to 18 teams, it’s ok for non competitive leagues like France and Germany as PSG and Bayern will win it most years, it would dilute the Premier League and as we saw towards the end of the season teams started tinkering with their line up’s, it would be even worse with less jeopardy.

I’m on board with no Cup replays in any competition but agree the League Cup semis should be one legged, just a toss of the coin to decide the home advantage.

Also, the Conference Cup needs fucking off, Chelsea will be delighted they finished 1 point behind Brighton to miss out this year. It’s just an unnecessary hindrance, their CL aspirations are increased this coming season by not having to schlep all over Europe to win a proper two bob cup that was brought in to increase UEFA’s coffers. I know West Ham and Palace kind of embraced it but it’s proper shit competition.
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I disagree. I think the European Conference is a great competition for teams who would ordinarily never get a chance to play in Europe. It's an embarrassment for the top teams to end up in it but that's life if you have a shit season previously. I'd have absolutely loved the chance of City qualifying and competing in it throughout the 80s, 90s, & 00s.

My only issue with it is the number of shit Sunday lunchtime games it creates. But that's an issue with them playing it on Thursdays rather than the competition itself.
 
Stephen230 said:
I disagree. I think the European Conference is a great competition for teams who would ordinarily never get a chance to play in Europe. It's an embarrassment for the top teams to end up in it but that's life if you have a shit season previously. I'd have absolutely loved the chance of City qualifying and competing in it throughout the 80s, 90s, & 00s.

My only issue with it is the number of shit Sunday lunchtime games it creates. But that's an issue with them playing it on Thursdays rather than the competition itself.
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It’s wank and I haven’t watched a single minute of it as I suspect would be the same for a lot of football fans. It’s akin to watching a lower European league that has teams not many have heard of.

Out of the five winners England has had three, Roma won the first and Olympiacos won the other, the European clubs who never usually get a chance to play in Europe as you put it have hardly shone in the competition. Chelsea won it with a reserve team, I’d expect Brighton to go close next season but it’ll be used as a gateway to the Europa if they’re not doing well in the league.

As I said, it’s a hindrance for the Premier League and the knock on effect is disruptive.
 
The Lightbowne Cowboy said:
I know for sure them bastards will get Hull at home. Then another 2 or 3 very favorable games..Just to get them into the title race from the off, then Pigmol can do their thing. Just watch.
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To be fair the rag fuckers got Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Liverpool in their first 8 games. Then throw in Brentford away - last season.

Hardly favourable.

But now the media darlings are in the CL, you watch the games following them. They will all be "lesser" teams expecting to be hovering around the bottom of the table.
 
BlueMonkey79 said:
To be fair the rag fuckers got Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Liverpool in their first 8 games. Then throw in Brentford away - last season.

Hardly favourable.

But now the media darlings are in the CL, you watch the games following them. They will all be "lesser" teams expecting to be hovering around the bottom of the table.
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That must of been a one off Monkey. Anyway, I think the PL have chosen them for next season now that the Goons have won one. It's good for the competition apparently. So they're hoping they get a good solid start so pigmol can do the rest.
 
Ho Chi Man City said:
It’s far more difficult to win the League cup than the Conference League, less games but far better quality.
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Not always. The path to the 2018 final was hardly arduous.
Fewer games, true, but you often already know your opponent and venue, and the teams fielded are sometimes weaker versions. All depends on the draw and other commitments.
 
Gabriel said:
Not always. The path to the 2018 final was hardly arduous.
Fewer games, true, but you often already know your opponent and venue, and the teams fielded are sometimes weaker versions. All depends on the draw and other commitments.
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Still more difficult to win than the Conference and you’ve had to go back 8 years to try and validate your argument.
 
Ho Chi Man City said:
It’s wank and I haven’t watched a single minute of it as I suspect would be the same for a lot of football fans. It’s akin to watching a lower European league that has teams not many have heard of.

Out of the five winners England has had three, Roma won the first and Olympiacos won the other, the European clubs who never usually get a chance to play in Europe as you put it have hardly shone in the competition. Chelsea won it with a reserve team, I’d expect Brighton to go close next season but it’ll be used as a gateway to the Europa if they’re not doing well in the league.

As I said, it’s a hindrance for the Premier League and the knock on effect is disruptive.
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Nobody is claiming that the standard isn’t wank in comparison to what we’ve become used to. But it’s not a competition designed for the likes of the sort of club City are these days.

And two of the three English clubs who’ve won it are absolutely the types of clubs who would never usually get a chance to play in Europe otherwise.
 
Stephen230 said:
Nobody is claiming that the standard isn’t wank in comparison to what we’ve become used to. But it’s not a competition designed for the likes of the sort of club City are these days.

And two of the three English clubs who’ve won it are absolutely the types of clubs who would never usually get a chance to play in Europe otherwise.
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For fans of the clubs that qualify,they won’t care what other fans think,they’ll be over the moon that they’ve got into Europe,I remember how happy I was when we qualified via fair play for the europa league
 
The Light Was Yellow Sir said:
Quite agree. Alternatively, as good as it’s been for us, just get rid of it.
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Don't agree with getting rid, but I agree with European teams not taking part these days.
I've actually suggested previously that, as it's the League Cup, maybe it should just be EFL teams - can you imagine the kick off though with teams not getting the chance to play at PL stadiums???
There's also complications around European spots - if some teams are excluded you'd have to remove the European qualification for the winners (uefa aren't letting that one fly for a start)
 
WesthoughtonJohn said:
Don't agree with getting rid, but I agree with European teams not taking part these days.
I've actually suggested previously that, as it's the League Cup, maybe it should just be EFL teams - can you imagine the kick off though with teams not getting the chance to play at PL stadiums???
There's also complications around European spots - if some teams are excluded you'd have to remove the European qualification for the winners (uefa aren't letting that one fly for a start)
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Either get rid or do what the original plan of the PL was, and take it down to 18 teams.
You can have 2 cup competitions and 18 PL teams or you can have 20 PL teams but only 1 cup competition (like everyone else). In fact, I’d actually do both and have one cup and 18 PL teams but I’d have 4 relegated and promoted every season.
 
chris63 said:
If you qualify for any of the European competitions you should be excluded from the league cup.
Or just cancel it anyway. The FA cups enough. Don't think any other leagues play for 2 domestic cups.
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League cup is great. If you have to bin one off, most people would agree the chumps league is pointless.
 
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