Potential changes include moving the FA Cup final from the traditional 3pm kick-off time on Saturday to 5.30pm – a slot favoured by domestic broadcasters – the scrapping of replays and a seeding system for top clubs to ensure more clashes with teams from smaller leagues and fewer early eliminations of top teams. Awarding a place in the Champions League place for the cup winners is also being discussed, although this is almost certain to be opposed by the Premier League and its leading clubs.
The FA is already in talks about international rights deals from 2012-13 onwards and has already agreed a four-year extension, until the end of the 2015-16 season, with the Pitch International agency for the rights in the Middle East. Pitch has sold the rights on to pan-regional broadcaster Al Jazeera Sport.