Date confirmed for Hull v Arsenal FA Cup fifth round replay

The Football Association today confirms the Emirates FA Cup fifth round replay between Hull City and Arsenal will be played at the KC Stadium on Tuesday 8 March (7pm kick-off).

In-depth and exhaustive discussions have taken place over the last 72 hours with all associated parties to determine the scheduling of this fixture and The FA recognises that this is not an ideal solution for everyone.

However, it does strengthen the case for footballing bodies to work closely together in a positive, collaborative way to resolve the overcrowded and untenable fixture schedule.

FA chief executive Martin Glenn said: "We want all of our clubs to be part of strong, vibrant domestic competitions, to perform well on the European stage and for the England team to be challenging for international honours.

"To have a better chance of achieving these aims more effectively, it is imperative we resolve the on-going problem of match scheduling together.

“We would like to thank UEFA for taking the time it has to understand our position on this matter.

"Fixture scheduling is an issue for the whole game so let’s build upon the productive conversations we have held with the Premier League and Football League and call upon UEFA to join the discussion to create clear, workable guidelines for the benefit of all.

"This will help our teams in the pursuit for trophies; enable fans to fully enjoy and access all the matches their teams participate in and allow broadcast partners to maximise the TV rights they have purchased."

It is important to note that numerous factors were fully considered before agreeing the date and time for the Hull City v Arsenal replay.

Firstly, both clubs are challenging for honours and require the best available preparation time. As such, Monday 7 March was ruled out as an option.

It is recognised that this match will be partially played when UEFA have a scheduled programme of European fixtures and if there were any suitable alternatives, The FA would have warmly accepted these.

There was an option for a 5.45pm kick off, however, the spirit of The FA Cup is strongly defined by the supporters and an earlier time would have significantly impacted on fans’ attendance. This was not a viable solution.

The winners of the replay will take on Watford in the sixth round.