Should the FA Cup semi-finals be moved from Wembley?

When Manchester City and Liverpool supporters travel south for their FA Cup semi-final clash at Easter, don’t expect the trains to be packed full of sky blue and red. That’s because on the weekend of the semi-finals, 16-17 April, there will be no direct trains to London from the north west due to planned engineering works. 

Supporters’ groups from both clubs have “united” in their condemnation of the “shambolic” travel arrangements, The Guardian reported. Trains from Liverpool Lime Street will terminate at Rugby and services from Manchester Piccadilly will terminate at Milton Keynes. This means fans will be forced to “either travel by road, air or contemplate circuitous cross-country rail journeys that make day-return trips virtually impossible”. 

The English Football Association said it will work with the clubs, Network Rail and National Express to “find a solution so that supporters of both teams are able to travel to and from the fixture, with as minimal disruption as possible”. But to “make matters worse”, said the Daily Mail, the FA were “warned of the potential for travel chaos around next month’s FA Cup semi-finals in September”. 

Fans of the teams in the other semi-final, Chelsea and Crystal Palace, won’t have many issues travelling across London to get to Wembley for their fixture. However, Liverpool and City supporters’ groups said it “makes no sense” for Wembley to be hosting the game when there’s going to be major travel disruption. 

In a joint statement, Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly and City’s We are 1894 said there has been “zero consideration” given to fans travelling for the semi-final and they have urged the FA to “#ChangeTheVenue”. The statement said: “City and Liverpool are less than