According to a recent report from The Times, this season’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals will be used as ‘test events’ designed to welcome fans back ahead of the summer’s Euros.
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Both domestic finals are set to be played in front of live spectators (yes, that’s right! Actual real people!) at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium.
The FA Cup final is scheduled to take place on May 15, with the Carabao Cup continuing in it’s usual tradition of being England’s first awarded piece of silverware when the final kicks-off on April 25.
Whilst the FA Cup is only at the quarter-final stage, this year’s Carabao Cup finalists are already known with Pep Guardiola set for a dramatic showdown against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur.
According to the Times’ report, sporting decision makers are set to use both finals as a way to prepare for this summer’s illustrious Euros.
Wembley Stadium is set to host seven matches at this year’s Euros; all three of England’s Group D games, a last-16 tie, both semi-finals before concluding with the competition’s final.
It has been noted that the FA are pushing for 30 – 35% of the stadium’s 90,000 capacity to be filled with spectators for the Euros (still no where near enough, in my opinion).
And finally, it has also been claimed that there may be other opportunities for similar test events to take place before the summer’s Euros, with the EFL play-offs also considered.