Chances of Premier League Winter Break Thwarted by Bumper FA Cup Emirates Deal

Having a winter break in English football has been on the cards for a long time and seemed increasingly more likely, but Emirates' new deal with the FA Cup has hampered those chances.   

Emirates have extended their sponsorship till 2021 and the Daily Mail suggests the deal to be worth £9m a year. It was believed that the Premier League were looking to change weekend cup fixtures to midweek and remove replays, in order to leave a winter break.

However, with the money that has just been invested into the FA Cup, Emirates completed the deal on the assumption that the games would be played on the weekends, to attract a bigger audience.  

Emirates are likely to get their wishes as the bumper deal will bring in more revenue from the international market, as audiences are less likely to tune in if the game is on a Wednesday night. 

English teams have consistently performed worse than other teams in Europe who have had a winter break. It is believed if this is implemented, then teams might be able to compete better in competitions like the Champions League. 

The preliminary rounds are due to kick off on Saturday 19th August, with the final taking place on the weekend of the 19th May. Arsenal will bid to regain their title in the third round on the 6th January.