Why are there no Premier League games this weekend?

In short, the three divisions of the English Football League (EFL) and the various non-League tiers below them aside, this weekend belongs to the FA Cup — and the Premier League agreed that would be the case before the 2024-25 season began last August.

The four FA Cup quarter-finals are taking place across Saturday and Sunday and top-flight matches don’t return until early next week.

What matches are taking place instead?

The good news for supporters of seven of the Premier League’s 20 clubs is that their lads will play for a trip to Wembley Stadium in next month’s FA Cup semi-finals at some point over the weekend.

Fulham are hosting Crystal Palace on Saturday (12:15pm UK; 8:15am ET), with Brighton & Hove Albion at home against Nottingham Forest in the evening slot (5:15pm UK; 1:15pm ET).

On Sunday, Championship side Preston North End welcome Aston Villa to Deepdale (1:30pm UK; 8:30am ET) before Bournemouth entertaining Manchester City (4:30pm UK; 11:30am ET) closes out the slate of quarter-final fixtures.

Fulham host Palace again on Saturday, this time in the FA Cup (Alex Broadway/Getty Images)

Does this happen often because of the FA Cup?

This season is the first of a six-year agreement between the Premier League and FA Cup that will see the domestic cup competition given exclusive calendar windows for rounds four (last 32) and five (last 16), as well as the quarter-finals.

For the past five seasons, the fifth round was played in a midweek slot, but also part of this agreement is for all rounds of the FA Cup to be played on weekends (other than ties that are brought forward or pushed back a few days for live TV broadcast).

The FA Cup final, which has traditionally been played after the Premier League campaign has ended, is now taking place on Saturday, May 17, the weekend before the last round of matches in the top-flight season.

As part of the league’s deal with the FA, no Premier League fixtures will be played that Saturday, nor will there be any games the night before, to allow all the focus to be on the FA Cup final.

This season’s FA Cup is also the first edition of the tournament, which has been played since 1871, without drawn ties going to replays, due to increased fixture congestion, once past the six pre-qualifying rounds. They are settled on the day instead via extra time and, if required, penalty shootouts.

In a joint FA-Premier League statement released in April last year, Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief executive, noted that “the new schedule ensures the magic of the cup is protected and enhanced”.

Is it normally the case for the quarter-finals?

No, the FA Cup quarter-finals being given an exclusive window free from clashing Premier League fixtures is new.

Last year, for example, four top-flight games took place across Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17, the same days as the four cup matches, so this season marks a break from that, allowing more focus to be given to the FA Cup.

What role has fixture congestion played in this agreement?

Both the FA and Premier League pointed to an ever-growing calendar, primarily due to the expanded UEFA club competitions, as a factor in scrapping replays in the FA Cup.

There was also an agreement to do away with this year’s winter break, with the Premier League noting the league would not begin until mid-August, one week later than it traditionally starts, following a busy summer that included the European Championship, Copa America and the football tournament at the Olympic Games.

Another factor given as a reason why the FA Cup will receive exclusive calendar windows in the coming years is that it’s no longer possible for the fifth round to take place midweek due to the expanded UEFA competitions doing away with their previously traditional two-month break from the end of the group stages in December to the knockout phases beginning in February.

When are the Premier League games taking place instead?

Premier League football returns with a midweek slate of matches, with three games on Tuesday, six on Wednesday and one on Thursday.

Notable fixtures include Arsenal against Fulham in a London derby and surprise Champions League qualification contenders Nottingham Forest hosting Manchester United, both on Tuesday. The following evening, Liverpool entertain neighbours Everton in the latest Merseyside derby and Carabao Cup winners Newcastle United will play Brentford at a no doubt raucous St James’ Park in their first home match since that victory over Liverpool at Wembley. Chelsea are at home against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to complete this round of fixtures on Thursday.

Liverpool host Everton on Wednesday (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Do they often have no Premier League games the weekend after an international break?

No, that is not always the case. Following the previous two-week international break in November, for example, there was a full slate of Premier League matches on the weekend. It was the same story after the September and October windows, too.

This weekend is unique in that it is one of the exclusive slots the Premier League agreed to give to the FA Cup.

The Premier League clubs do not join that competition until its third round, which begins in January, so there is no need for them to block out weekends in September, October and November to accommodate it.

(Top photo: Brighton and Manchester City have matches this weekend, but not in the Premier League; by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)