FA Cup set for a major revamp with Champions League for winners Read more: http://ww

**legendz** · 16/02/2011, 10:22 PM

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...=feeds-newsxml

A Champions League place for the FA Cup could be back on the agenda. I think they've been down this road before but anyways there might be renewed calls for it.

Some of the arguments for midweek football did not add up at the DW Stadium where 7,515 watched Wigan 0 - 1 Bolton.

**Stevo Da Gull** · 16/02/2011, 10:51 PM

I'm definitely in favour of the move. At least when you win a cup, you are the champions of the competition, not the team of came in fourth yet still qualified for a supposed league of champions. It will also put an end to teams fielding weakened sides.

I'd say that it's harder to win the cup than to finish fourth. Also, should a smaller team manage to win the cup, the financial rewards of the CL are great enough to launch that side forward into being future title contenders should they use the money wisely and catch some breaks.

**osarusan** · 16/02/2011, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by Stevo Da Gull

Also, should a smaller team manage to win the cup, the financial rewards of the CL are great enough to launch that side forward into being future title contenders should they use the money wisely and catch some breaks.

The only team apart from Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea to win it in the last 16 years are Portsmouth. It'd more likely be another way for smaller clubs to break themselves in pursuit of success.

**legendz** · 16/02/2011, 11:19 PM

Only league winners should be able to qualify automatically for the Champions League. No country should have more than three clubs unless it includes the title holder. The fourth CL place that currently goes to leagues 1st-3rd should be given to leagues 7th-9th, in exchange for the fourth EL place these countries get.
9 non-champions currently automatically qualify for the CL. 15 non-champions take part in the qualifiers, with 5 qualifying for the Champions League, resulting in 14 non-champions in total in the group stage. The 24 non-champions, 9 + 15, should battle it out for 12 CL places, creating a space for two more clubs to come through the Champions path.
If a move is made to invite cup winners, maybe the cup winners of the 4 top nations could be invited, having 28 non-champions battle for 14 CL places, with the defeated sides entering the EL.

**Plastic Paddy** · 17/02/2011, 4:56 AM

I'm not sure I believe anything printed in that rag. Paragraph 2.02 of the UEFA Champions League Regulations lays out the entry criteria for member clubs as below. Note that cup winners are not listed.

Originally Posted by UEFA CL Regulations

2.02 UEFA member associations are represented on the following basis:

a) One representative: winner of the top domestic league championship.
b) Two representatives: winner and runner-up of the top domestic league championship.
c) Three representatives: winner, runner-up and third-placed club in the top domestic league championship.
d) Four representatives: winner, runner-up, third- and fourth-placed clubs in the top domestic league championship.

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/...9_DOWNLOAD.pdf

Note that cup winners are not listed. Indeed, the Europa League is specified elsewhere in UEFA literature as the competition for cup winners.

PP