Tens of thousands of Liverpool fans could face major headaches reaching Wembley for their FA Cup semi-final after it emerged there will be no direct trains to London that weekend.
Liverpool are set to face Manchester City in the semi-finals at Wembley on either April 16 or 17 – Easter Saturday or Easter Sunday.
However, scheduled rail maintenance works means a restricted timetable with very few if any direct trains from both Liverpool and Manchester to London.
It is estimated around 80,000 rival fans will be looking to make their way to London for the eagerly-anticipated clash between the two giants.
From Friday, April 15 until Easter Monday, April 18, the majority of railway operators have planned repairs or upgrades.
Despite this, set coaches and fan-based organised coaches will be running from Liverpool and Manchester.
Fans vented their anger on social media at the organisation.
Playing FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley over the Easter weekend was always a recipe for travel disaster. If trains can't be put on for the day of the game then it will be a staggering insult to fans not to move the game away from Wembley https://t.co/Ximr4lbjon
— Tyrone Marshall (@TyMarshall_MEN) March 21, 2022
The FA has not yet announced which semi-final – with Chelsea facing Crystal Palace in the other – will take place on each day.
Having already won at Wembley once this season, Liverpool are looking to do the same again and get their hands on what could be a second trophy.
Ticket allocations are yet to be announced, but it is estimated that around 30-35,000 tickets will be allocated to each club.
This will most likely be through a ballot format similar to Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final.
(Pic by Lauren under creative commons licence https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7058053)
