The 2021 Scottish Cup is in serious doubt with the SFA running through a variety of options to restart and complete the tournament before mid-May with the European Championship Finals due to start on June 11.
With Hampden in use for five matches at the Euros the Scottish Cup Final is scheduled to be played on the second weekend of May but if no fans are allowed to attend the venue could be switched and played at a later date.
This season’s competition is badly behind schedule with the SPFL stepping in to bring forward a round of Premiership fixtures from April to February 20 with Celtic travelling to Ross County on what was scheduled to be the weekend of the Fourth Round.
Revealing the discussions going on the Daily Record reports:
With eight fourth round ties also scheduled to be played out before the end of this month to determine the line up for the quarter finals, a complete contingency overhaul of this season’s competition is now required.
This could include the creation of a ‘Scottish Cup festival of football’, with as many as three rounds of matches being crammed into a ten day window ahead of the planned semi final dates on April 10 and 11.
But such a plan could only be rubber-stamped if enough room can be made in the fixture list for all league matches to put on pause, in order for the cup matches to catch up.
Round 4 (the last 16) was due to be played on February 20 but there are still eight Round 2 ties to be completed with League One, League Two and the feeder leagues currently suspended and waiting for the green light to resume.
In League One leaders Falkirk have only played 11 of their scheduled fixtures with 16 matches due to be crammed in before the end of May when players are out of contract. Falkirk are due to play Arbroath in a 2nd Round tie with the winners facing Celtic.
Among the clubs still to play Second Round ties are Huntly, Formartine United and Keith of the Highland League.
Celtic are setting out to become the first team to win the trophy five years running, if dates can’t be found this season’s competition could be abandoned leaving space in the fixture card for the 2021/22 season to run along normal lines.
