The highly anticipated West Midlands derby between Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, originally scheduled for February, will now be played at a later date. The postponement is a direct consequence of both clubs successfully navigating their way into the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup.
FA Cup Success Forces Fixture Change
Birmingham City secured their fourth-round spot with a win over Cambridge United last Saturday. Their rivals, West Bromwich Albion, also progressed in dramatic fashion, defeating Swansea City via a penalty shootout. The footballing gods delivered an intriguing draw for the next stage: Blues were handed a home tie against Championship leaders Leeds United, while the Baggies must travel to face Norwich City.
These fourth-round fixtures are scheduled for the weekend of February 14 and 15. This date directly clashes with the Championship calendar, which had Birmingham City hosting West Brom at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park with a 12:30pm kick-off on Saturday, February 14. That match must now be rearranged.
Potential New Dates for the Derby
The English Football League now faces the task of finding a new slot for this crucial local encounter. The midweek immediately following the cup weekend, February 17 or 18, is currently free and presents one obvious solution. Should that prove unsuitable, another available window exists in the first midweek of March.
The previous meeting between these two sides this season ended in a dramatic 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns in November. Marvin Ducksch's late equaliser earned Blues a valuable point – a result that remains their only away point collected across the last seven matches on the road.
Home Advantage for Blues in Cup Tie
Birmingham City's form has been notably stronger on home soil this campaign. Manager Chris Davies will therefore likely view drawing Leeds United at St Andrew's as a favourable outcome, offering his team the potential boost of a familiar environment against high-calibre opposition. The rescheduled derby against West Brom will add another significant fixture to a packed spring schedule for both Midlands clubs.
