More than half the clubs in the First Division have been banned from the FA Cup this season for non-payment of club fees, Bermuda Football Association Competition Committee chairman Cal Blankendal confirmed yesterday.In some cases the fees are understood to be a few thousand dollars. Only Young Men’s Social Club, Devonshire Colts, Boulevard, BAA and Somerset Eagles were put into the draw along with the ten Premier Division sides for what was supposed to be the preliminary round of matches this Saturday. Those matches will now be first round matches and will be played on original first round dates on the weekend of January 18. The seven winners from those matches, plus Eagles who have a bye, will advance to the quarter-finals.“At the beginning of the season the executives said that all clubs had to have paid all their outstanding fees by the FA Cup draw to participate in the competition,” said Blankendal yesterday.“The clubs paid up for the league competition to participate this year but anything outstanding had to be paid up by the draw for the FA Cup. Anybody who didn’t comply with that executive decision was unable to enter. There are quite a few outstanding balances that have been going on for a few years.”The FA Cup draw was supposed to have been made three weeks but was only made this week. The six clubs missing from the draw for non-payment of fees are First Division leaders St David’s, Hamilton Parish, X-Roads, Prospect, Ireland Rangers and Paget.“Most clubs complied and our goal is to be a sound business structure because there is less money in the economy from the corporate sector to operate football for everyone,” said Blankendal. “We also have bills to pay, as well as managing football for everyone.”The teams entered in this year’s competition represent the smallest number of teams for the FA Cup for many years, with the Commercial League cut from the BFA’s programme about three years ago. Those teams brought a giant-killing element to the FA Cup as Commercial teams went up against First and Premier Division sides.The Commercial League has been replaced by the breakaway Corona League and Blankendal did admit that it has been the BFA’s desire to have Corona teams compete in the competition. In fact, an invitation was extended this year, but some clubs rejected it on financial grounds.“We reached out to the Corona League, their executives, and invited all teams that were eligible (teams that are not affiliated directly with a BFA club) and they considered it, but one thing was the fee which is $300,” explained Blankendal.“The second issue was, if it is their home match — because they all play at BAA — they would have to handle security and renting the field. We even made a suggestion that if they were to enter and were draw against, let’s say, Dandy Town at home, they could ask Dandy Town if they wanted to host the match ‘since we didn’t have the finances or a club’.“This year the Corona League did not accept it, one or two teams did consider it, but said they would definitely look forward to participating next year. Some of small teams playing in the Corona League which means they probably don’t have a big fan base.“We are open to having the Corona League teams participated in the FA Cup and it was suggested the year before last. We think it would be exciting for them to enter in the first round and play against a First Division team and be a giant killer. We are open to that, we would welcome having them.”First round draw: YMSC v Wolves; North Village v Robin Hood; Dandy Town v Flanagan’s Onions; Dev. Colts v Somerset; Boulevard v PHC; BAA v Dev. Cougars; St. George’s v Southampton. Som. Eagles have a bye.St David’s has been confirmed as the venue for the Dudley Eve semi-finals on Sunday. Dandy Town will meet North Village at noon while Somerset will take on St. George’s in the second match at 2.30. The BFA is advising there will be parking inside the ground for players and officials only.