The Football Association (FA) plans to increase FA Cup prize money with the aim of helping lower league clubs, says chief executive Martin Glenn.
In October, the FA signed a six-season overseas broadcast rights deal for the FA Cup – reportedly worth £820m.
Glenn said the FA could raise the current £25m fund because of the deal, which starts from the 2018-19 season.
“The FA Cup is a great way of redistributing money to the lower leagues,” Glenn told BBC Radio 5 live.
“The prize fund is £25m,” Glenn told Sportsweek. “We’re looking to increase that over the coming years and hopefully benefit the smaller clubs.”
Glenn also said the FA may look at introducing a “unity” payment which would help split money more equally. Under the current system, clubs receive a larger amount of money if their game is televised.
Sports minister Tracey Crouch warned last month that the government will legislate to force through FA reforms if the governing body does not make changes itself, setting a deadline of April for the FA to “set a path to reform”.
Glenn reiterated some of the concerns of five former FA executives, including previous chairman Greg Dyke, who said the organisation was held back by “elderly white men”.
Figures show that of the FA Council’s 122 members, 92 are aged over 60, eight are women and four are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
“It’s over-represented by white males who are quite old and it doesn’t reflect the people actually in the game and that’s the opportunity,” said Glenn.
“With council reform, we’d like to see term limits and the government would like to see term limits so you can’t stay there for life.
