Boost for FA Cup winners

THE FA Cup winners will qualify for the Champions League and the final of Europe’s top club competition will be held on a Saturday from 2009, UEFA president Michel Platini announced yesterday.

Although Platini has agreed to postpone a final decision on reform by a month after opposition from leagues and clubs, he is prepared to force through the changes.

Platini said: “The English FA Cup is one of the greatest competitions and the winner deserves to be represented in the Champions League rather than the team that comes fourth.”

The Platini plans include:

England, Spain and Italy having three teams qualifying automatically for the Champions League group stage via their domestic league. The champions of Europe’s leading 12 countries would be guaranteed a place in the group phase.

The top 16 countries including England and Scotland would have domestic cup winners entering a qualifying competition with four group stage places up for grabs.

Six group stage places reserved for the champions of the 40 lowest leagues among UEFA’s 53 member countries, who would play off in three qualifying rounds.

The final played on a Saturday night rather than Wednesday night in a stadium of a minimum 75,000 capacity with 75% of tickets reserved for fans.

The UEFA Cup changed to a similar format as the Champions League, with the Intertoto Cup scrapped.