EFL Slams Fixture Congestion as Palace-Arsenal Cup Tie Rescheduled

EFL Criticises ‘Undermining’ of Carabao Cup as Palace Quarter-Final Date Confirmed

The English Football League (EFL) has launched a scathing attack on the increasing European fixture congestion, claiming it has “undermined” the prestige and planning of the Carabao Cup, after it was forced to reschedule Crystal Palace’s quarter-final tie.

New Date for Palace vs Arsenal Cup Clash

The Carabao Cup quarter-final between Crystal Palace and Arsenal will now be played on Tuesday, 23 December at 20:00 GMT at the Emirates Stadium.

Unlike the other three quarter-finals which will take place a week earlier, Palace’s congested schedule has created major challenges. The London club will play four games in nine days, including:

• 🆚 Manchester City (14 Dec)

• 🆚 KuPS – UEFA Conference League (18 Dec)

• 🆚 Leeds United (21 Dec)

• 🆚 Arsenal – Carabao Cup (23 Dec)

EFL Statement: ‘Endless Concessions Undermine the Cup’

In a strongly worded statement, the EFL criticised the “expansion of European cup competitions”, blaming UEFA for a lack of consultation with domestic leagues.

“To continue making endless concessions only serves to undermine the reputation of the EFL Cup,”

“It also challenges the traditional scheduling of the English football calendar and strength of our domestic game.”

The statement also underlined the difficulty of maintaining tradition, with midweek dates now dominated by UEFA competitions across 10 different matchweeks, up from six just two seasons ago.

EFL Forced to Compromise Again

This is not the first time the Carabao Cup schedule has been disrupted. Earlier rounds were already seeded and split over multiple weeks to accommodate Premier League clubs involved in European competitions.

The EFL reiterated that the “logistical headache” is depriving clubs of the time needed to prepare properly and field their strongest lineups, directly impacting the integrity of the competition.

Glasner Called Situation ‘Irresponsible’

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner had previously warned that forcing his side to play multiple games within 72 hours would be “irresponsible”.

His warning has now been vindicated, as the new Cup date reflects the impossible balancing act required between domestic and European obligations.

Boxing Day Fixture Fallout

The EFL criticism comes in the wake of similar issues facing the Premier League, where this year’s Boxing Day slate has been reduced to just one match — Manchester United vs Newcastle United (20:00 GMT) — due to fixture congestion and calendar overlaps.

Summary

• Crystal Palace vs Arsenal Carabao Cup tie moved to 23 December.

• Palace to play 4 games in 9 days due to UEFA and league clashes.

• EFL slams UEFA’s expanded European calendar as harmful to domestic cups.

• Managers and players voice frustration over lack of preparation time.

• Only one Premier League game on Boxing Day this year.