While some teams are playing too few Conti Cup games, others are currently playing too many, with the large group-stage format leading to a lot of dead-rubbers, which are hard for marketing teams to sell and have seen poor attendances this term. However, as Liverpool manager Matt Beard said in February after the semi-finals: “We’ve got squads now, in the sense that you can register 25 players, you can utilise your academy if you need to, so realistically I think they should be in it from the start or not at all.” Reduce the number of group-stage fixtures The counter-argument from fans of Arsenal and Chelsea is that they have European fixtures to squeeze in and there are concerns around player welfare with over-scheduling. Three wins is not enough to merit a trophy. The ‘big teams’ should enter the competition from the start for the reasons of sporting integrity and fairness.
And this season, because of the way the draws fell, neither of the finalists, Arsenal and Chelsea, had to leave London during their brief Conti Cup runs.
To many, it devalues the achievement of winning the cup, if a team has had to win only two matches to reach the final. There is understood to be a lot of discontent among clubs outside of the ‘big four’ at the fact that the ‘Conti Cup’ rules currently give any team competing in the group stages of the Champions League a bye straight to the quarter-finals. But if this cup really wants to be taken seriously, Wembley has to be the destination in the near future.īring the Champions League teams in earlier With that in mind, perhaps a 35,000 to 40,000-capacity venue is more likely to be chosen for next year. The FA’s approach to the venue for the final has tended to seek steady growth. That comes with risks and expense, but the organisers should aspire for a packed Wembley for a major domestic cup final. The future ambition must be to stage the event at Wembley. That said, such growth should have been expected following the sport’s rise in popularity since England won the European Championships. The increase in the attendance for this season’s final compared to last term was impressive, rocketing from just over 8,000 at Plough Lane in 2022 to more than 19,000 at Selhurst Park on Sunday - a record for the competition. Here is Telegraph Sport’s blueprint to enhance the credibility and profile of the Women’s League Cup.
Sunday’s Continental Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea delivered an entertaining contest for both those watching on BBC One and the record crowd at Selhurst Park - but this is a cup that remains in great need of reform. How to give the Women's League Cup more credibilityĪrsenal ended a four-year trophy drought to win the Women's League Cup for a record-extending sixth time defeating Chelsea
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