FA Cup

Summary

The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competition in the world.[1] It is organised by and named after The Football Association (The FA). Since 2015, it has been known as The Emirates FA Cup after its headline sponsor Emirates. A concurrent Women's FA Cup has been held since 1970.

FA Cup
Organising bodyThe Football Association
Founded1871; 153 years ago (1871)
Region
  • England
  • Wales
Number of teams729 (2023–24)
Qualifier forUEFA Europa League
Domestic cup(s)FA Community Shield
Current championsManchester City
(7th title)
Most successful club(s)Arsenal (14 titles)
Television broadcastersBBC Sport
ITV Sport
International:
Broadcasters
Websitethefa.com
2023–24 FA Cup

The competition is open to all eligible clubs down to Level 9 of the English football league system with Level 10 clubs acting as stand-ins in the event of non-entries from above.[2] A record 763 clubs competed in 2011–12. The tournament consists of 12 randomly drawn rounds followed by the semi-finals and the final. Entrants are not seeded, although a system of byes based on league level ensures higher ranked teams enter in later rounds – the minimum number of games needed to win, depending on which round a team enters the competition, ranges from six to fourteen.

The first six rounds are the Qualifying Competition, and are contested by clubs in the National League System, levels 5 to 10 of the English football system, more commonly called non-League. 32 of these teams progress to the first round of the Competition Proper, meeting the first of the 48 professional teams from Leagues One and Two. The last entrants are the 20 Premier League and 24 Championship clubs, into the draw for the third round proper.[2] In the modern era, only one non-League team has ever reached the quarter-finals, and teams below Level 2 have never reached the final.[note 1] As a result, significant focus is given to the smaller teams who progress furthest, especially if they achieve an unlikely "giant-killing" victory.

Winners receive the FA Cup trophy, of which there have been two designs and five actual cups; the latest is a 2014 replica of the second design, introduced in 1911. Winners also qualify for the UEFA Europa League and a place in the upcoming FA Community Shield. Arsenal are the most successful club with fourteen titles, most recently in 2020, and their former manager Arsène Wenger is the competition's most successful, having won seven finals with the team. Manchester City are the current holders, having defeated local rivals Manchester United in the 2023 final.

History edit

 
Harry Hampton scores one of his two goals in the 1905 FA Cup final, when Aston Villa defeated Newcastle United

In 1863, the newly founded Football Association (the FA) published the Laws of the Game of Association Football, unifying the various different rules in use before then. On 20 July 1871, in the offices of The Sportsman newspaper, the FA Secretary C. W. Alcock proposed to the FA committee that "it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete". The inaugural FA Cup tournament kicked off in November 1871. After thirteen games in all, Wanderers were crowned the winners in the final, on 16 March 1872. Wanderers retained the trophy the following year. The modern cup was beginning to be established by the 1888–89 season, when qualifying rounds were introduced.[3]

Following the 1914–15 edition, the competition was suspended due to the First World War, and did not resume until 1919–20. The 1923 FA Cup Final, commonly known as the "White Horse Final", was the first final to be played in the newly opened Wembley Stadium (known at the time as the Empire Stadium). The 1927 final saw "Abide with Me" being sung for the first time at the Cup final, which has become a pre-match tradition.[4] Due to the outbreak of World War II, the competition was not played between the 1938–39 and 1945–46 editions. Due to the wartime breaks, the competition did not celebrate its centenary year until 1980–81.

After some confusion over the rules in its first competition, the FA decided that any drawn match would lead to a replay, with teams competing in further replays until a game was eventually won.[5] Alvechurch and Oxford City contested the most replayed tie in the 1971–72 qualification, in a tie which went to 6 matches.[5] Multiple replays were scrapped for the competition proper in 1991–92, and the qualifying rounds in 1997–98.[5] Replays were removed altogether from the semi-final and final matches in 2000, from the quarter-finals in 2016–17 and the fifth round in 2019–20.[5]

Redevelopment of Wembley saw the final played outside of England for the first time, the 20012006 finals being played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The final returned to Wembley in 2007, followed by the semi-finals from 2008.

Eligibility edit

An application window is open to clubs before entry lists, round byes and scheduling are announced in July. All clubs in the top four levels (the Premier League and the three divisions of the English Football League) are automatically eligible. Clubs from Level 5–9 (non-league football) are also eligible provided they play in either the FA Trophy or FA Vase competitions in the current season. All participating clubs must also have a stadium suitable for the competition and The Association may reject applications at its discretion.[2]

Previously, Level 10 clubs were a prominent feature in early qualifying rounds. The gradual remodelling of the National League System to a 'perfect' 1–2–4–8–16 system, with a first phase in 2018–19, a final phase in 2021–22 (which included the promotion of 107 clubs), and played to a full quota in 2022–23 has resulted in a larger number of teams playing in Level 7–9.[6][7][8] Consequently, for the FA Cup, entries equal the number in tiers 1–9 and is cut off to those below.[2] Though still able to apply, Level 10 clubs are used as alternatives "subject to availability" in the event of a non/rejected applicant (with vacancies filled by Level 10 applicants with the best PPG in the previous league season).[2]

The total number of entries in the FA Cup has changed as Non-League football has gradually been expanded and reorganised over time. In the 2004–05 season, 660 clubs entered the competition, beating the long-standing record of 656 from the 1921–22 season. In 2005–06 this increased to 674 entrants, in 2006–07 to 687, in 2007–08 to 731 clubs, in 2008–09 and 2009–10 to 762.[9] The total number of entries has also varied naturally from year-to-year as new clubs form and others dissolve at unequal rates. Though most leagues in the National League System maintain the same number of teams via reprieves, inevitably entry-level divisions (typically at tier 10) have to be impacted when a club leaves the pyramid.[10] Therefore, for example, 759 teams entered in 2010–11, a record 763 in 2011–12, 758 in 2012–13, 737 in 2013–14 and 736 in 2014–15.[9] However, since 2021–22, The FA has cut off automatic eligibility to the 10th tier (to appear only subject to availability) and instead set the size of the draw to match the more stable number of teams in Level 1–9.[11] This means that the competition may now see a standardised number of entries from one year to the next.[12] This number is currently 732 but could rise to 748 for 2023–24 with plans for a new SWPL 9th tier division to share the South East with the existing Western League.[13]

It is very rare for top clubs to miss the competition, although it can happen in exceptional circumstances. Manchester United did not defend their title in 1999–2000, as they were already in the inaugural Club World Championship. The club stated that entering both tournaments would overload their fixture schedule and make it more difficult to defend their Champions League and Premier League titles. The club claimed that they did not want to devalue the FA Cup by fielding a weaker side. The move benefited United as they received a two-week break and won the 1999–2000 league title by an 18-point margin, although they did not progress past the group stage of the Club World Championship. The withdrawal from the FA Cup, however, drew considerable criticism as this weakened the tournament's prestige and Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted his regret regarding their handling of the situation.[14][15][16]

Welsh sides that play in English leagues are eligible, although since the creation of the League of Wales there are only five clubs remaining: Cardiff City (the only non-English team to win the tournament, in 1927), Swansea City, Newport County, Wrexham, and Merthyr Town. In the early years other teams from Wales, Ireland and Scotland also took part in the competition, with Glasgow side Queen's Park losing the final to Blackburn Rovers in 1884 and 1885 before being barred from entering by the Scottish Football Association.

Entries from clubs affiliated to "offshore" associations are also eligible subject to consideration on an annual basis, with special provisions that may apply.[2] In the 2013–14 season the first Channel Island club entered the competition when Guernsey F.C. competed.[17] The first game played in the Channel Islands – and thus the southernmost FA Cup tie played – took place on 7 August 2021 between Jersey Bulls and Horsham YMCA. A third club, F.C. Isle of Man, was also eligible to play in 2022–23, but in the end all Crown Dependency teams either did not appear on the entry list or later withdrew.[18][19]

Competition format edit

Overview edit

Beginning in August, the competition proceeds as a knockout tournament throughout, consisting of twelve rounds, a semi-final and then a final, in May. A system of byes ensures clubs above Level 9 enter the competition at later stages. There is no seeding, the fixtures in each round being determined by a random draw. Prior to the fifth round, fixtures ending in a tie are replayed once only.[20] The first six rounds are qualifiers, with the draws organised on a regional basis. The next six rounds are the "proper" rounds where all clubs are in one draw.

Schedule edit

All entrants from Level 9 begin the competition in the extra preliminary round, as well as any Level 10 team filling in for a vacancy.[2] Teams from Level 8 are ranked on their PPG in the previous season, except newly promoted teams automatically ranked towards the bottom and newly relegated teams ranked to the top; teams are then split between entering at either the Extra-Preliminary or preliminary round so as to ensure the right balance of fixtures throughout the competition.[2] From there, clubs from higher levels are added in later rounds, as per the table below.

The months in which rounds are played are traditional, with exact dates subject to each calendar. The number of new entries, winners from previous rounds, and division of Level 8 teams in the two preliminary rounds are based on an entry list of 732 modelled on the English league system as of 2022–23. From 2023 to 2024, the entry list could rise to 746 in line with sixteen additional clubs at Level 9 meaning that the extra preliminary round will have 444 teams with only 50 Level 8 clubs entering at the preliminary round.[13]

Round[2] Month Leagues entering this round[2] New entries this round Winners from

previous round

Number of fixtures
Qualifying Competition[2]
Extra preliminary round August Any vacancies filled by Level 10

Level 9 clubs

Level 8 clubs (96 lowest ranked)

416 208
Preliminary round Level 8 clubs (64 highest ranked) 64 208 136
First round September Level 7 clubs 88 136 112
Second round Level 6 clubs 48 112 80
Third round October none 0 80 40
Fourth round Level 5 clubs 24 40 32
Competition Proper[2]
First round November Level 3 and 4 clubs 48 32 40
Second round December none 0 40 20
Third round January Level 1 and 2 clubs 44 20 32
Fourth round none 0 32 16
Fifth round February 0 16 8
Quarter-finals March 0 8 4
Semi-finals April 0 4 2
Final May 0 2 1

The qualifying rounds are regionalised to reduce the travel costs for smaller non-league sides. The first and second proper rounds were also previously split into Northern and Southern sections, but this practice was ended after the 1997–98 competition.[citation needed]

The final is normally held the Saturday after the Premier League season finishes in May. The only seasons in recent times when this pattern was not followed were: 1999–2000, when most rounds were played a few weeks earlier than normal as an experiment; 2010–11 and 2012–13 when the FA Cup Final was played before the Premier League season had finished, to allow Wembley Stadium to be ready for the UEFA Champions League final,[21] as well as in 2011–12 to allow England time to prepare for that summer's European Championships;,[22] 2019–20 when the final was delayed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom,[23][24] and the 2021-22 when the final was held a week before the end of the league.

Draws edit

The draws for the Extra Preliminary, Preliminary, and first qualifying rounds used to all occur at the same time. Thereafter, the draw for each subsequent round is not made until after the scheduled dates for the previous round, meaning that in the case of replays, clubs will often know their future opponents in advance.

The draw for each of the proper rounds is broadcast live on television, usually taking place at the conclusion of live coverage of one of the games of the previous round. Public interest is particularly high during the draw for the third round, which is where the top-ranked teams are added to the draw.

Tiebreaking edit

In rounds up to and including the fourth round proper, fixtures resulting in a draw (after normal time) go to a replay, played at the venue of the away team, at a later date; if that replay is still tied, the winner is settled by a period of extra time, and if still necessary, a penalty shootout. Since 2016–17, ties have been settled on the day from the quarter-finals onwards, using extra time and penalties. From 2018–19, Fifth round ties are also settled by extra time and penalties.

Until 1990–91, further replays would be played until one team was victorious. In 1971–72, a fourth qualifying round game between Alvechurch and Oxford City was played six times until Alvechurch won in the fifth replay.[25] In their 1975 campaign, Fulham played 12 games over six rounds, which remains the most games played by a team to reach a final.[26] Replays were traditionally played three or four days after the original game, but from 1991–92 they were staged at least 10 days later on police advice for the rounds proper. This led to penalty shoot-outs being introduced, the first of which came on 26 November 1991 when Rotherham United eliminated Scunthorpe United.[27]

From 1980–81 to 1998–99, the semi-finals went to extra time on the day if the score after 90 minutes was a draw. If the score was still level after extra time, the match would go to a replay. Replays for the semi-finals were scrapped for 1999–2000; the last semi-final to go into a replay was in 1998–99, when Manchester United beat rivals Arsenal 2–1 after extra time, following a 0–0 draw in the original match.

The first FA Cup Final to go to extra time and a replay was the 1875 final, between the Royal Engineers and the Old Etonians. The initial tie finished 1–1 but the Royal Engineers won the replay 2–0 in normal time. The last replayed final was the 1993 FA Cup Final, when Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday fought a 1–1 draw. The replay saw Arsenal win the FA Cup, 2–1 after extra time.

The last quarter-final to go to a replay was Manchester United vs West Ham United in the 2015–16 FA Cup. The original game at Old Trafford ended in a 1–1 draw, while Manchester United won the replay at the Boleyn Ground, 2–1. It was also the last FA Cup game ever played at the Boleyn Ground.[28]

The last fifth round replay saw Tottenham Hotspur defeat Rochdale 6–1 at Wembley in the 2017–18 FA Cup after the first match at Spotland Stadium ended in a 2–2 draw.[29]

Qualification for subsequent competitions edit

European football edit

The FA Cup winners qualify for the following season's UEFA Europa League (formerly named the UEFA Cup; from its launch in 1960 until 1998, they entered the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup instead). This European place applies even if the team is relegated or is not in the English top flight. In the past, if the FA Cup winning team also qualified for the following season's Champions League or Europa League through their league or European performance, then the losing FA Cup finalists were given the European berth of the League Cup winners and the League Cup winners would be given the league berth instead (in the Cup Winners' Cup era, teams qualifying for the UEFA Cup via other competitions would be promoted to the Cup Winners' Cup instead). FA Cup winners enter the Europa League at the group stage. Losing finalists, if they had not qualified for Europe via the league, began earlier, at the play-off or third qualifying round stage.[30] From the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League season, however, UEFA does not allow the runners-up to qualify for the Europa League through the competition.[31] If the winner of the FA Cup has already qualified for a European Competition through their Premier League position, the FA Cup berth is then given to the highest placed team in the Premier League who has not yet qualified for a European Competition.

FA Community Shield edit

The FA Cup winners also qualify for the following season's single-match FA Community Shield, the traditional season opener played against the previous season's Premier League champions (or the Premier League runners-up if the FA Cup winners also won the league – the double).

Venues edit

 
Since 2007, the FA Cup final has been held at Wembley Stadium, on the site of the previous stadium which hosted it from 1923 to 2000.

Fixtures in the 12 rounds of the competition are usually played at the home ground of one of the two teams. The semi-finals and final are played at a neutral venue – the rebuilt Wembley Stadium.

Competition rounds edit

In the matches for the 12 competition rounds, the team who plays at home is decided when the fixtures are drawn – simply the first team drawn out for each fixture. Occasionally games may have to be moved to other grounds due to other events taking place, security reasons or a ground not being suitable to host popular teams. However, since 2003, clubs cannot move grounds to the away side's for capacity or financial reasons. If any move has to be made, it has to be to a neutral venue and any additional monies earned by the move goes into the central pot.[32] In the event of a draw, the replay is played at the ground of the team who originally played away from home.

In the days when multiple replays were possible, the second replay (and any further replays) were played at neutral grounds. The clubs involved could alternatively agree to toss for home advantage in the second replay.

Semi-finals edit

The semi-finals have been played exclusively at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium since 2008, one year after it opened and after it had already hosted a final (in 2007). For the first decade of the competition, the Kennington Oval was used as the semi-final venue. In the period between this first decade and the reopening of Wembley, semi-finals were played at high-capacity neutral venues around England; usually the home grounds of teams not involved in that semi-final, chosen to be roughly equidistant between the two teams for fairness of travel. The top three most used venues in this period were Villa Park in Birmingham (55 times), Hillsborough in Sheffield (34 times) and Old Trafford in Manchester (23 times). The original Wembley Stadium was also used seven times for semi-final, between 1991 and 2000 (the last held there), but not always for fixtures featuring London teams. In 2005, both were held at the Millennium Stadium.

In 2003 the FA decided to permanently use the new Wembley for semi-finals to recoup debts in financing the new stadium.[33] This was controversial, with the move seen as both unfair to fans of teams located far from London, as well as taking some of the prestige away from a Wembley final.[34] In defending the move, the FA has also cited the extra capacity Wembley offers, although the 2013 fixture between Millwall and Wigan Athletic led to the unprecedented step of placing 6,000 tickets on sale to neutral fans after the game failed to sell out.[35] A fan poll by The Guardian in 2013 found 86% opposition to Wembley semi-finals.[35]

Final edit

The final has been played at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium since it opened, in 2007.[36] The rebuilding process meant that between 2001 and 2006 they were hosted at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in Wales. Prior to rebuilding, the final was hosted by the original Wembley Stadium since it opened in 1923 (being originally named the Empire Stadium). One exception to this 78 year series of Empire Stadium finals (including five replays) was the 1970 replay between Leeds United and Chelsea, held at Old Trafford in Manchester.

In the 51 years prior to the Empire Stadium opening, the final (including 8 replays) was held in a variety of locations, predominantly in London, and mainly at the Kennington Oval and then Crystal Palace. It was played 22 times at The Oval (the inaugural competition in 1872, and then all but two times until 1892). After The Oval, Crystal Palace hosted 21 finals from 1895 to 1914, broken up by four replays elsewhere. The other London venues were Stamford Bridge from 1920 to 1922 (the last three finals before the move to Empire Stadium); and the University of Oxford's Lillie Bridge in Fulham for the second ever final, in 1873. The other venues used sparingly in this period were all outside of London, as follows:

Artificial turf edit

The FA permitted artificial turf (3G) pitches in all rounds of the competition from the 2014–15 edition and beyond.[37] Under the 2015–16 rules, the pitch must be of FIFA One Star quality, or Two Star for ties if they involve one of the 92 professional clubs.[2] This followed approval two years previously for their use in the qualifying rounds only – if a team with a 3G pitch progressed to the competition proper, they had to switch their tie to the ground of another eligible entrant with a natural grass pitch.[38] Having been strong proponents of the surface, the first match in the proper rounds to be played on a 3G surface was a televised first round replay at Maidstone United's Gallagher Stadium on 20 November 2014.[39]

Trophy edit

 
King George V presents the FA Cup trophy to Tommy Boyle of Burnley, April 1914

The eventual winners of the competition receive the FA Cup. It is only loaned to the club by the FA; under the current (2015–16) rules it must be returned by 1 March, or earlier if given seven days' notice.[2] Traditionally, the holders had the Cup until the following year's presentation, although more recently the trophy has been taken on publicity tours by the FA in between finals.[40]

The trophy comes in three parts – the cup itself, plus a lid and a base. There have been two designs of trophy in use, but five physical trophies have been presented. The original trophy, known as the "little tin idol", was 18 inches high and made by Martin, Hall & Co. It was stolen in 1895 and never recovered, and so was replaced by an exact replica, used until 1910. The FA decided to change the design after the 1909 winners, Manchester United, made their own replica, leading the FA to realise they did not own the copyright.[41] This new, larger design was by Fattorini and Sons, and was used from 1911.[41] In order to preserve this original, from 1992 it was replaced by an exact replica, although this had to be replaced after just over two decades, after showing wear and tear from being handled more than in previous eras. This third replica, first used in 2014, was built heavier to withstand the increased handling.[40] Of the four surviving trophies, only the 1895 replica has entered private ownership.[42] The name of the winning team is engraved on the silver band around the base as soon as the final has finished, in order to be ready in time for the presentation ceremony.[40] This means the engraver has just five minutes to perform a task which would take 20 under normal conditions, although time is saved by engraving the year on during the match, and sketching the presumed winner.[43] During the final, the trophy is decorated with ribbons in the colours of both finalists, with the loser's ribbons being removed at the end of the game.[44] The tradition of tying ribbons started after Tottenham Hotspur won the 1901 FA Cup Final and the wife of a Spurs director decided to tie blue and white ribbons to the handles of the cup.[45] Traditionally, at Wembley finals, the presentation is made at the Royal Box, with players, led by the captain, mounting a staircase to a gangway in front of the box and returning by a second staircase on the other side of the box. At Cardiff the presentation was made on a podium on the pitch.

 
George Armstrong celebrating with the FA Cup trophy following Arsenal's win over Liverpool in the 1971 final.

The tradition of presenting the trophy immediately after the game did not start until the 1882 final; after the first final in 1872 the trophy was not presented to the winners, Wanderers, until a reception held four weeks later in the Pall Mall Restaurant in London.[46] Under the original rules, the trophy was to be permanently presented to any club which won the competition three times, although when inaugural winners Wanderers achieved this feat by the 1876 final, the rules were changed by FA Secretary CW Alcock (who was also captain of Wanderers in their first victory).[47]

Portsmouth have the distinction of being the football club which has held the FA Cup trophy for the longest uninterrupted period - seven years. Portsmouth had defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 in the 1939 FA Cup Final and were awarded the trophy as 1938–39 FA Cup winners. But with the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the regular Football League and FA Cup competitions for the 1939–40 season were cancelled for the duration of the war. Portsmouth's manager Jack Tinn was rumoured to have kept the FA Cup trophy 'safe under his bed' throughout the duration of the war, but this is an urban myth. Because the naval city of Portsmouth was a primary strategic military target for German Luftwaffe bombing, the FA Cup trophy was actually taken ten miles to the north of Portsmouth, to the nearby Hampshire village of Lovedean, and there it resided in a quaint thatched roof country pub called The Bird in Hand for the seven years of the war.[48] After the conclusion of World War II, the FA Cup trophy was presented back to the Football Association by the club in time for the 1946 FA Cup Final.

Original design from 1871 edit

1871 original edit

The first trophy, the 'little tin idol', was made by Martin, Hall & Co at a cost of £20.[49] It was stolen from a Birmingham shoe shop window belonging to William Shillcock while held by Aston Villa on 11 September 1895 and was never seen again. Despite a £10 reward for information, the crime was never solved. As it happened while it was in their care, the FA fined Villa £25 to pay for a replacement.

Just over 60 years later, 80 year old career criminal Henry (Harry) James Burge claimed to have committed the theft, confessing to a newspaper, with the story being published in the Sunday Pictorial newspaper on 23 February 1958. He claimed to have carried out the robbery with two other men, although when discrepancies with a contemporaneous report in the Birmingham Post newspaper (the crime pre-dated written police reports) in his account of the means of entry and other items stolen, detectives decided there was no realistic possibility of a conviction and the case was closed. Burge claimed the cup had been melted down to make counterfeit half-crown coins, which matched known intelligence of the time, in which stolen silver was being used to forge coins which were then laundered through betting shops at a local racecourse, although Burge had no history of forgery in a record of 42 previous convictions for which he had spent 42 years in prison. He had been further imprisoned in 1957 for seven years for theft from cars. Released in 1961, he died in 1964.[50]

1895 replica edit

 
The second FA Cup trophy, used between 1896 and 1910

After the theft, a replica of the trophy was made, which was used until a redesign of the trophy in 1911. The 1895 replica was then presented to the FA's long-serving president Lord Kinnaird.[41] Kinnaird died in 1923, and his family kept it in their possession, out of view, until putting it up for auction in 2005.[51] It was sold at Christie's auction house on 19 May 2005 for £420,000 (£478,400 including auction fees and taxes).[41] The sale price set a new world record for a piece of football memorabilia, surpassing the £254,000 paid for the Jules Rimet World Cup Trophy in 1997.[42] The successful bidder was David Gold, the then joint chairman of Birmingham City; claiming the FA and government were doing nothing proactive to ensure the trophy remained in the country, Gold stated his purchase was motivated by wanting to save it for the nation.[42] Accordingly, Gold presented the trophy to the National Football Museum in Preston on 20 April 2006, where it went on immediate public display.[51] It later moved with the museum to its new location in Manchester.[41] In November 2012, it was ceremonially presented to Royal Engineers, after they beat Wanderers 7–1 in a charity replay of the first FA Cup final. In September 2020, Gold sold the replica trophy for £760,000 through the Bonhams auction house.[52] In January 2021, it was revealed that the trophy had been purchased by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the owner of Manchester City, who stated that it would be returned on loan to the National Football Museum.[53]

Current design from 1911 edit

1911 original edit

 
FA Cup trophy design by Fattorini & Sons, 1911
 
The current design of the FA Cup (1992 replica pictured)

The redesigned trophy first used in 1911 was larger at 61.5 cm (24.2 inches) high, and was designed and manufactured by Fattorini & Sons of Bradford, coincidentally being won by Bradford City in its first outing.[40][41]

On the 27 March 2016 episode of the BBC television programme Antiques Roadshow, this trophy was valued at £1 million by expert Alastair Dickenson, although he suggested that, due to the design featuring depictions of grapes and vines, it may not have been specifically produced for the FA, but was instead an off-the-shelf design originally meant to be a wine or champagne cooler.[41] This was later disproved when Thomas Fattorini was invited to the Antiques Roadshow to "ambush" Alastair Dickenson with the competition winning design by Fattorini & Sons. The show was filmed at Baddesley Clinton and subsequently aired on 23 October 2016.

A smaller, but otherwise identical, replica was also made by the company Thomas Fattorini, the North Wales Coast FA Cup trophy, and is contested annually by members of that regional Association.[54]

1992 replica edit

The 1992 replica was made by Toye, Kenning and Spencer.[55] A copy of this trophy was also produced, in case anything happened to the primary trophy.[56]

2014 replica edit

The 2014 replica was made by Thomas Lyte, handcrafted in sterling 925 silver over 250 hours. A weight increase for greater durability has taken it to 6.3 kilograms (14 lb).[40]

Medals edit

Each club in the final receives 40 winners or runners-up medals to be distributed among players, staff and officials. The traditional styles of gold-cased medals – the winners' medal, which had remained largely unchanged since the 1890s, and runners-up medals, which were last updated in 1946 – were replaced for the 2021 final by new designs of gold winners' medals and silver runners-up medals suspended on a ribbon.[57]

Sponsorship edit

 
The pre-match ceremony ahead of the 2010 FA Cup Final featuring sponsorship by E.ON

Since the start of the 1994–95 season, the FA Cup has been sponsored. However, to protect the identity of the competition, the sponsored name has always included 'The FA Cup' in addition to the sponsor's name, unlike sponsorship deals for the League Cup where the word 'cup' is preceded by only the sponsor's name. Sponsorship deals run for four years, though – as in the case of E.ON – one-year extensions may be agreed. Emirates Airline has been the sponsor since 2015, initially renaming the competition as 'The Emirates FA Cup', unlike previous editions, which included 'The FA Cup in association with E.ON' and 'The FA Cup with Budweiser'.[58] The Emirates sponsorship deal, originally scheduled to terminate in 2018, was later extended until 2021 and again until 2024.[59]

Period Sponsor Name Trophy
1871–1994 The FA Cup Original
1994–1998 Littlewoods The FA Cup sponsored by Littlewoods[60]
1998–2002 AXA The AXA sponsored FA Cup[61] (1998–1999)
The FA Cup sponsored by AXA (1999–2002)
2002–2006 The FA Cup
2006–2011 E.ON The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON[62][63]
2011–2014 Budweiser The FA Cup with Budweiser[64]
2014–2015 The FA Cup
2015–2024 Emirates The Emirates FA Cup (2015–2020)[58]
Emirates FA Cup (2020–2024)
2024 onwards Unknown The FA Cup

From 2006 to 2013, Umbro supplied match balls for all FA Cup matches. They were replaced at the start of the 2013–14 season by Nike, who produced the competition's official match ball for five seasons. Mitre took over for the 2018–19 season, beginning a three-year partnership with the FA.[65]

Records and statistics edit

Final edit

Team edit

Individual edit

 
Ian Rush, the former Liverpool striker and record goalscorer in FA Cup final history
 
Ashley Cole won a record seven FA Cup finals

All rounds edit

Cup runs and giant killings edit

The possibility of unlikely victories in the earlier rounds of the competition, where lower ranked teams beat higher placed opposition in what is known as a "giant killing", is much anticipated by the public. Such upsets are considered an integral part of the tradition and prestige of the competition, and the attention gained by giant-killing teams can be as great as that for winners of the cup.[73] Almost every club in the League Pyramid has a fondly remembered giant-killing act in its history.[74] It is considered particularly newsworthy when a top Premier League team suffers an upset defeat, or where the giant-killer is a non-league club, i.e. from outside The Football League.

One analysis of four years of FA Cup results showed that it was 99.85 per cent likely that at least one team would beat one from its next higher division in a given year. The probability drops to 48.8 per cent for a two-division gap, and 39.28 per cent for a three-division gap.[74]

Early years edit

The Football League was founded in 1888, 16 years after the first FA Cup competition. Before its establishment as the dominant football competition in England, teams from rival leagues did make the final of the FA Cup. The Wednesday (later Sheffield Wednesday) in 1890 reached the final as a member of the Football Alliance, two years before that competition merged with the Football League.[75] Later, with the Football League predominantly in the North and Midlands of England, leading clubs of the Southern Football League were of a level with Football League teams, and in 1901 Southern League members Tottenham Hotspur became the only non-League side to win the Cup,[76] while fellow Southern League team Southampton were losing finalists in 1900 and 1902. In 1920–21, the Football League expanded to incorporate teams from the Southern League's first division, and the following year it added a further division consisting of leading northern and midlands clubs. This consolidated the Football League's position as the leading competition in English football, and established the hierarchy in which non-League clubs in the English football league system competing in the FA Cup would face Football League teams as clear underdogs.

Non-League giant killings edit

Since the expansion of the Football League in 1921, the best performance of a team from outside the Football League was National League side Lincoln City's run to the quarter-finals of the 2016–17 FA Cup, during which they defeated Championship side Brighton 3–1 in the fourth round and Premier League side Burnley 1–0 in the fifth, before falling to ultimate Cup champions Arsenal 5–0 at the Emirates. Lincoln’s defeat of Burnley was only the third (and most recent) FA Cup victory for a non-league team over a top-flight side since 1989.[77] Giant-killings can also be applied where the defeated team is from lower down the Football League, particularly where the defeated club is very notable or the winning team particularly obscure. Liverpool, having already won five league titles in their history, were in the Second Division in 1959 when they lost 2–1 to Worcester City of the Southern League.[78]

The best-known non-league giant-killing came in the 1971–72 FA Cup, when non-league Hereford United defeated First Division Newcastle United.[79] Hereford were trailing 1–0 with less than seven minutes left in the Third round proper replay, when Hereford's Ronnie Radford scored the equaliser – a goal still shown regularly when FA Cup fixtures are broadcast.[80] Hereford finished the shocking comeback by defeating Newcastle 2–1 in the match. They finished that season as runners-up of the Southern League, behind Chelmsford City, and were voted into the Football League at the expense of Barrow.

Some small clubs gain a reputation for being "cup specialists" after two or more giant killing feats within a few years.[74] Yeovil Town hold the record for the most victories over league opposition as a non-league team, having recorded 20 wins through the years before they achieved promotion into The Football League in 2003.[81] The record for a club which has never entered the Football League is held by Altrincham, with 17 wins against league teams.

Non-League cup runs edit

For non-League teams, reaching the third round proper – where all Level 1 sides now enter – is considered a major achievement. In the 2008–09 FA Cup, a record eight non-League teams achieved this feat.[82] As of the 2023–24 season, only eleven non-League teams have reached the fifth round proper (last 16) since 1925,[83] and only Lincoln City have progressed to the quarter-finals (last 8), during the 2016–17 edition of the tournament.[84]

Chasetown, while playing at Level 8 of English football during the 2007–08 competition, were the lowest-ranked team to ever play in the third round proper (final 64, of 731 teams entered that season). Chasetown was then a member of the Southern League Division One Midlands (a lower level within the Southern Football League), when they lost to Football League Championship (Level 2) team Cardiff City, the eventual FA Cup runners-up that year.[85] Their success earned the lowly organisation over £60,000 in prize money. Marine matched this in the 2020–21 competition as a member of the Northern Premier League Division One North West, and were drawn against Premier League (Level 1) team Tottenham Hotspur, to whom they lost 5–0.

During the 2023–24 season, Maidstone United in the National League South (Level 6) had an 8–game cup run, reaching the fifth round when they won 2–1 away at EFL Championship (Level 2) side Ipswich Town.[86] Their run ended at the fifth round after losing 5–0 away to another EFL Championship side Coventry City.[87] They became the eleventh non–League team to reach the fifth round, and the lowest-ranked team to do so since Blyth Spartans (Level 7) in 1977–78. Maidstone's co–owner Oliver Ash stated that their cup run had earned the club 'something like £700,000 before tax'.[88]

Giant killings between League clubs edit

Giant-killings can apply to matches between league clubs, particularly where teams from tier 4 have defeated tier 1 sides. In games between League sides, one of the most notable results was the 1992 victory by Wrexham, bottom of the previous season's League (avoiding relegation due to expansion of The Football League), over reigning champions Arsenal. Another similar shock was when Shrewsbury Town beat Everton 2–1 in 2003. Everton finished seventh in the Premier League and Shrewsbury Town were relegated to the Football Conference that same season.

During the 2022–23 tournament, Grimsby Town who were 16th in EFL League Two won 2–1 away at Premier League side Southampton to advance into the quarter finals.[89]

Winners and finalists edit

Results by team edit

Since its establishment, the FA Cup has been won by 44 different teams. Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence. Additionally, Queen's Park ceased to be eligible to enter the FA Cup after a Scottish Football Association ruling in 1887.[90]

Results by team
Club Wins First final won Last final won Runners-up Last final lost Total final
appearances
Arsenal 14 1930 2020 7 2001 21
Manchester United 12 1909 2016 9 2023 21
Chelsea 8 1970 2018 8 2022 16
Liverpool 8 1965 2022 7 2012 15
Tottenham Hotspur 8 1901 1991 1 1987 9
Manchester City 7 1904 2023 5 2013 12
Aston Villa 7 1887 1957 4 2015 11
Newcastle United 6 1910 1955 7 1999 13
Blackburn Rovers 6 1884 1928 2 1960 8
Everton 5 1906 1995 8 2009 13
West Bromwich Albion 5 1888 1968 5 1935 10
Wanderers[A] 5 1872 1878 0 5
Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 1893 1960 4 1939 8
Bolton Wanderers 4 1923 1958 3 1953 7
Sheffield United 4 1899 1925 2 1936 6
Sheffield Wednesday[B] 3 1896 1935 3 1993 6
West Ham United 3 1964 1980 2 2006 5
Preston North End 2 1889 1938 5 1964 7
Old Etonians 2 1879 1882 4 1883 6
Portsmouth 2 1939 2008 3 2010 5
Sunderland 2 1937 1973 2 1992 4
Nottingham Forest 2 1898 1959 1 1991 3
Bury 2 1900 1903 0 2
Huddersfield Town 1 1922 1922 4 1938 5
Leicester City 1 2021 2021 4 1969 5
Oxford University 1 1874 1874 3 1880 4
Royal Engineers 1 1875 1875 3 1878 4
Derby County 1 1946 1946 3 1903 4
Leeds United 1 1972 1972 3 1973 4
Southampton 1 1976 1976 3 2003 4
Burnley 1 1914 1914 2 1962 3
Cardiff City 1 1927 1927 2 2008 3
Blackpool 1 1953 1953 2 1951 3
Clapham Rovers 1 1880 1880 1 1879 2
Notts County 1 1894 1894 1 1891 2
Barnsley 1 1912 1912 1 1910 2
Charlton Athletic 1 1947 1947 1 1946 2
Old Carthusians 1 1881 1881 0 1
Blackburn Olympic 1 1883 1883 0 1
Bradford City 1 1911 1911 0 1
Ipswich Town 1 1978 1978 0 1
Coventry City 1 1987 1987 0 1
Wimbledon[C] 1 1988 1988 0 1
Wigan Athletic 1 2013 2013 0 1
Queen's Park 0 2 1885 2
Birmingham City 0 2 1956 2
Crystal Palace 0 2 2016 2
Watford 0 2 2019 2
Bristol City 0 1 1909 1
Luton Town 0 1 1959 1
Fulham 0 1 1975 1
Queens Park Rangers 0 1 1982 1
Brighton & Hove Albion 0 1 1983 1
Middlesbrough 0 1 1997 1
Millwall 0 1 2004 1
Stoke City 0 1 2011 1
Hull City 0 1 2014 1
  1. ^ The original Wanderers FC folded in 1887, however, a new incarnation claiming the club's history reformed in 2009.
  2. ^ Sheffield Wednesday's total includes two wins and one defeat under the earlier name of The Wednesday.
  3. ^ Wimbledon relocated to Milton Keynes in 2002 who re-named in 2004 to Milton Keynes Dons, thus de facto ceased to exist.[91]

Consecutive winners edit

Four clubs have won consecutive FA Cups on more than one occasion: Wanderers (1872, 1873 and 1876, 1877, 1878), Blackburn Rovers (1884, 1885, 1886 and 1890, 1891), Tottenham Hotspur (1961, 1962 and 1981, 1982) and Arsenal (2002, 2003 and 2014, 2015).

Winning managers edit

The record for most titles for a manager is held by Arsène Wenger, who won the FA Cup with Arsenal seven times (1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017). Wenger is also the only manager to have won the Cup at the old Wembley Stadium, the Millennium Stadium, and the new Wembley Stadium.

Doubles/Trebles edit

Manchester City (2019) are the only club to have achieved a domestic treble of league, FA Cup and League Cup, having beaten Chelsea 4–3 on penalties in the League Cup Final, finished at the top of the Premier League, and beaten Watford 6–0 in the FA Cup Final.

Manchester United (1999) and Manchester City (2023) are the only two English teams to have won the continental treble of league, FA Cup, and Champions League. They are two of only nine European sides to do so. Liverpool won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in (2001) to complete a cup treble.

Eight clubs have won the FA Cup as part of a League and Cup double, namely Preston North End (1889), Aston Villa (1897), Tottenham Hotspur (1961), Arsenal (1971, 1998, 2002), Liverpool (1986), Manchester United (1994, 1996, 1999), Chelsea (2010) and Manchester City (2019, 2023). In 1993, Arsenal became the first side to win both the FA Cup and the League Cup in the same season when they beat Sheffield Wednesday in both finals. Liverpool (2001, 2022), Chelsea (2007) and Manchester City (2019) have since repeated this feat. In 2012, Chelsea won both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

Outside England edit

The FA Cup has only been won by a non-English team once. Cardiff City achieved this in 1927 when they beat Arsenal in the final at Wembley. They had previously made it to the final only to lose to Sheffield United in 1925 and lost another final to Portsmouth in 2008. Cardiff City are also the only team to win the national cups of two different countries in the same season, having also won the Welsh Cup in 1927. The Scottish team Queen's Park reached and lost the final in both 1884 and 1885.

Outside the top division edit

Since the creation of the Football League in 1888, the final has never been contested by two teams from outside the top division, and there have only been eight winners who were not in the top flight: Notts County (1894); Tottenham Hotspur (1901); Wolverhampton Wanderers (1908); Barnsley (1912); West Bromwich Albion (1931); Sunderland (1973), Southampton (1976) and West Ham United (1980). With the exception of Tottenham, these clubs were all playing in the second tier (the old Second Division) – Tottenham were playing in the Southern League and were only elected to the Football League in 1908, meaning they are the only non-League winners of the FA Cup since the League's creation. Other than Tottenham's victory, only 24 finalists have come from outside English football's top tier, with a record of 7 wins and 17 runners-up: and none at all from the third tier or lower, Southampton (1902, then in the Southern League) being the last finalist from outside the top two tiers.

Sunderland's win in 1973 was considered a major upset, having beaten Leeds United who finished third in the top flight that season,[92] as was West Ham's victory over Arsenal in 1980 as the Gunners were in their third successive FA Cup Final and were the cup holders as well as just having finished 4th in the First Division, whereas West Ham had ended the season 7th in Division 2. This also marked the last time (as of 2022–23) a team from outside the top division won the FA Cup. Uniquely, in 2008 three of the four semi-finalists (Barnsley, Cardiff City and West Bromwich) were from outside the top division, although the eventual winner was the last remaining top-flight team, Portsmouth.[93] West Bromwich (1931) are the only team to have won the FA Cup and earned promotion to the top flight in the same season; whereas Wigan Athletic (2013) are the only team to have won the Cup and been relegated from the top flight in the same season.

Media coverage edit

Domestic broadcasters edit

The FA Cup Final is one of 10 events reserved for live broadcast on UK terrestrial television under the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events.

In the early years of coverage the BBC had exclusive radio coverage with a picture of the pitch marked in the Radio Times with numbered squares to help the listener follow the match on the radio. The first FA Cup Final on Radio was in 1926 between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City but this was only broadcast in Manchester, the first national final on BBC Radio was between Arsenal and Cardiff City in 1927. The first final on BBC Television was in 1937 in a match which featured Sunderland and Preston North End but this was not televised in full. The following season's final between Preston and Huddersfield Town was covered in full by the BBC. When ITV was formed in 1955 they shared final coverage with the BBC in one of the only club matches shown live on television, during the 1970s and 1980s coverage became more elaborate with BBC and ITV trying to steal viewers from the others by starting coverage earlier and earlier some starting as early as 9 a.m. which was six hours before kick off. The sharing of rights between BBC and ITV continued from 1955 to 1988, when ITV lost coverage to the BBC.

From 1988 to 1997, the BBC was the exclusive broadcaster of the competition on terrestrial television and covered the competition from the third round onwards, showing one live match per round alongside highlights. In 1990, British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) obtained rights to the competition, and showed a live match from rounds 1 and 2. This continued to be the case after Sky took over BSB in 1991.

From 1997 to 2001, ITV and Sky shared live coverage with both having two matches per round and BBC continuing with highlights on Match of the Day. From 2001 to 2008, BBC and Sky again shared coverage with BBC having two or three matches per round and Sky having one or two. From 2008–09 to 2013–14, FA Cup matches are shown live by ITV across England and Wales, with UTV broadcasting to Northern Ireland but STV refusing to show them. ITV shows 16 FA Cup games per season, including the first pick of live matches from each of the first to sixth rounds of the competition, plus one semi-final exclusively live. The final is also shown live on ITV. Under the same 2008 contract, Setanta Sports showed three games and one replay in each round from round three to five, two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the final. The channel also broadcast ITV's matches exclusively to Scotland, after the ITV franchise holder in Scotland, STV, decided not to broadcast FA Cup games. Setanta entered administration in June 2009 and as a result the FA terminated Setanta's deal to broadcast FA-sanctioned competitions and England internationals.[94] As a result of Setanta going out of business ITV showed the competition exclusively in the 2009–10 season with between three and four matches per round, all quarter finals, semi-finals and final live as the FA could not find a pay TV broadcaster in time. ESPN bought the competition for the 2010–11 to 2012–13 season and during this time Rebecca Lowe became the first woman to host the FA Cup Final in the UK.

In October 2009, The FA announced that ITV would show an additional match in the First and second rounds on ITV, with one replay match shown on ITV4. One match and one replay match from the first two rounds will broadcast on The FA website for free, in a similar situation to the 2010 World Cup Qualifier between Ukraine and England.[95] The 2009–10 first-round match between Oldham Athletic and Leeds United was the first FA Cup match to be streamed online live.[96]

Many[who?] expected BSkyB to make a bid to show some of the remaining FA Cup games for the remainder of the 2009–10 season which would include a semi-final and shared rights to the final. ESPN took over the package Setanta held for the FA Cup from the 2010–11 season.[97] The 2011 final was also shown live on Sky 3D in addition to ESPN (who provided the 3D coverage for Sky 3D) and ITV.[98] Following the sale of ESPN's UK and Ireland channels to BT, ESPN's rights package transferred to BT Sport from the 2013–14 season.[99]

BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport provides radio coverage including several full live commentaries per round, with additional commentaries broadcast on BBC Local Radio.

Until the 2008–09 season, the BBC and Sky Sports shared television coverage, with the BBC showing three matches in the earlier rounds. Some analysts argued the decision to move away from the Sky and, in particular, the BBC undermined the FA Cup in the eyes of the public.

The early rounds of the 2008–09 competition were covered for the first time by ITV's online service, ITV Local. The first match of the competition, between Wantage Town and Brading Town, was broadcast live online. Highlights of eight games of each round were broadcast as catch up on ITV Local.[100][101] Since ITV Local closed, this coverage did not continue.

ITV lost the rights to the FA Cup beginning with the 2014–15 FA Cup, terrestrial rights returned to BBC Sport, with the final being shown on BBC One while BT Sport hold the pay TV rights. Under this deal, the BBC will show around the same number of games as ITV and still having the first pick for each round.[102]

Matches involving Welsh clubs are sometimes exclusively broadcast on Welsh language channel S4C, which is also available to view across the rest of the United Kingdom on satellite and cable television, and through the channel's website.[103] A similar arrangement is shared with BBC Cymru Wales when the corporation obtained the rights from 2014–15, potentially giving the BBC an extra match per round.[104]

On 23 May 2019, it was announced that ITV would replace BT Sport in broadcasting the FA Cup from the 2021–22 season, this new deal will see BBC and ITV become joint broadcasters of the tournament for the first time since 1988, this will mean for the first time that all FA Cup matches would all be exclusively broadcast on free-to-air television.[105]

Overseas broadcasters edit

The FA sells overseas rights separately from the domestic contract.[citation needed]

Territory Current broadcaster(s) Former broadcaster(s)
Australia Network 10, Paramount+ Sports SBS, ESPN
Africa Supersport, since 2015–16
Albania DigitAlb / SuperSport[106] Tring Sport, 2009–10
Kosovo Tring Sport, 2009–10
Belgium Eleven Sports Network, since 2015–2016 Prime (2008–09 until 2011–12)
Brazil ESPN Brasil since 2002–03 until 2017–18, returned in 2021–22 DAZN (2018–19 until 2020–21)
Austria DAZN, since 2018–19
Germany SPORT1 (2003–04 until 2013–14),
Italy SKY Italia (2003–04 until 2011–12), Mediaset Premium (2012–13), Fox Sports (2013–14 until 2017–18)
Japan
Spain Movistar+ (2008–2012), Teledeporte (2016–17)[107]
Switzerland
Canada Sportsnet World, since 2011–12 Setanta Sports, (2008–09 until 2010–11)
Denmark Kanal 5, 6'eren since 2012–13 7'eren (2012–13 and 2013–14)
Eurosport since 2012–13 (DEN) 2018–19 (SWE)
Sweden TV10, (2013–14 until 2017–18)
France beIN Sport, since 2012–13 Canal+ (2007–08), France Télévisions (2008–09 until 2011–12)
India Sony Sports, since 2012–13
Indonesia beIN Sports, since 2013–14 until 2015–16, returned in 2018–19,[108] SCTV (1993–94 until 1997–98 and final four only in 2013–14 until 2015–16), Super Soccer TV (2016–17 and 2017–18)

RCTI (2019-20 and 2021-22)

Netherlands Ziggo Sport, since 2018–19 Fox Sports, (2010–11 until 2017–18)
New Zealand Sky Sport, since 2021–22
Russia Match TV, since 2015–16
United States ESPN+, since 2018–19, 1st round to final

References edit

  1. ^ "Oldest football cup 'not for sale'". BBC News. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Faulkner, Bryan (13 July 2022). "Rules of the FA Challenge Cup 2022–23". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  3. ^ Collett, Mike (2003). The Complete Record of The FA Cup. p. 878. ISBN 1-899807-19-5.
  4. ^ "Cup final competition for fans". Reading FC. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "A Brief History of FA Cup Replays". FA Cup Factfile. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Promotion & Relegation 2018–19". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  7. ^ "NLS allocation 2021–22". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  8. ^ "NLS club allocation 2022–23". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Everyone's Up For The Cup". www.thefa.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  10. ^ "National League System Regulations". The FA Handbook. The Football Association (2022–23). para. 5:5–5:6. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  11. ^ "CLUB LINE-UP AND PRIZE FUND DETAILS FOR THE EMIRATES FA CUP 2021–22 SEASON REVEALED". thefa.com. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022.
  12. ^ "732 – FA plan to become the permanent number of entries each season". 2 August 2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  13. ^ a b "PROJECT SOUTH WEST APPROVED BY FA LEAGUES COMMITTEE". 22 July 2022. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Man Utd's FA Cup catastrophe". BBC News. 27 July 2000. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  15. ^ "I regret Manchester United's FA Cup pull-out: Fergie". The Belfast Telegraph. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 December 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  16. ^ Staniforth, Tommy (29 October 1999). "United underline Cup withdrawal". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  17. ^ "Lions in FA Cup". www.thisisguernsy.com. Guernsey Press. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  18. ^ "History made as FA Cup returns". Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Jersey Bulls Withdraw". 6 July 2022. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  20. ^ "FA Cup Fifth-Round replays scrapped". www.theguarduan.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  21. ^ Wilson, Paul (6 March 2011). "Tarnished FA Cup needs a Manchester derby's drama". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  22. ^ Gibson, Owen (12 May 2011). "No escape for 2012 FA Cup final from date clash with Premier League". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  23. ^ "FA Cup final to be held on 1 August with quarter-finals resuming on 27 June". The Guardian. 29 May 2020. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Watch: 2006 FA Cup Final Rewind – Liverpool win FA Cup on penalties". BBC Sport. 23 May 2020. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020. Today should have been FA Cup final day
  25. ^ Allner, Graham (21 November 2009). "22 November 1971: The longest-ever FA Cup tie finally finishes". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Hammers nail Fulham". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2005.
  27. ^ "Penalty shoot-out makes English FA Cup history". New Straits Press. Kuala Lumpur. 28 November 1991. p. 44. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  28. ^ Ashenden, Mark (26 May 2016). "FA Cup quarter-final replays to be scrapped from next season". Sky Sports. Sky UK. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  29. ^ "FA Cup fifth-round replays abolished to ease fixture congestion". BBC Sport. 18 December 2018. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  30. ^ "Who qualifies to play in Europe?". Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2013. Premier League, 3 May 2012
  31. ^ "UEFA Direct" (PDF). UEFA Magazine. October 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  32. ^ Burnton, Simon (11 March 2003). "FA Slam Door on Cup's Rogue Venue-Switchers." Archived 6 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  33. ^ "FA Cup: Greg Dyke says semi-finals will stay at Wembley". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 4 May 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  34. ^ "Football supporters hail FA Cup semi-final decision". Football Supporters' Federation. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
  35. ^ a b Campbell, Paul (11 April 2013). "FA Cup semi-finals: should they be played at Wembley? – poll". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  36. ^ Nurse, Howard (19 October 2006). "Wembley Stadium to open next year". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 March 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
  37. ^ "3G pitches allowed in all rounds of FA Cup from 2014–15". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  38. ^ "Artificial pitches given go-ahead for FA Cup qualifying rounds". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  39. ^ "Maidstone United 2–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  40. ^ a b c d e "FA Cup reborn for 2014 final as new trophy is cast". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  41. ^ a b c d e f g "FA Cup given top Antiques Roadshow value of more than £1m". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  42. ^ a b c "Birmingham City boss buys FA Cup". BBC News. 21 May 2005. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  43. ^ "Emmet Smith – FA Cup engraver". The Guardian. 12 May 2007. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  44. ^ Association, The Football. "Up for the Cup! Historic FA Cup on Display at Stoke Park". www.surreyfa.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  45. ^ Lennox, Doug (1 June 2009). Now You Know Soccer. Dundurn. p. 89. ISBN 9781770706132.
  46. ^ Donnelley, Paul (4 October 2010). Firsts, Lasts & Onlys of Football: Presenting the most amazing football facts from the last 160 years. Octopus. p. 1878. ISBN 9780600622543. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  47. ^ Brown, Paul (29 May 2013). The Victorian Football Miscellany. Superelastic. p. 63. ISBN 9780956227058. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  48. ^ "LoveDeanBirdInHand". lovedeanbirdinhand.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  49. ^ "The Trophies". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  50. ^ "Unsolved: Did this OAP really steal the famous FA Cup?". Birmingham Mail. Trinity Mirror Midlands. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  51. ^ a b "Oldest FA Cup presented to museum". BBC. 20 April 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  52. ^ "West Ham co-owner David Gold sells historic FA Cup for £760,000 at auction". The Independent. 29 September 2020. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  53. ^ "Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour buys oldest surviving FA Cup trophy". BBC Sport. 8 January 2021. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  54. ^ Williams, H.R. "North Wales Coast Football League history". Welsh Soccer Archive. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  55. ^ "Toye trophies page". Archived from the original on 22 May 2010.
  56. ^ Godfrey, Mark. "The history of the FA Cup trophy". Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  57. ^ "Rules of the FA Challenge Cup Competition". The Football Association. p. 25. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  58. ^ a b "FA Cup get first title sponsor following deal with Emirates Airline". BBC Sport. 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  59. ^ "The Emirates FA Cup sponsorship extended until 2021". The Emirates FA Cup sponsorship extended until 2021. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  60. ^ "F.A. Cup Soccer Gets A Sponsor". The New York Times. 2 September 1994. Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  61. ^ "Axa wins FA Cup". BBC News. 23 July 1998. Archived from the original on 16 February 2003. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  62. ^ "FA announces new Cup sponsorship". Archived from the original on 9 February 2006. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  63. ^ "NotFound". Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  64. ^ "FA Cup to be sponsored by Budweiser beer". BBC News. 16 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  65. ^ "The FA announces a three-year partnership with Mitre". TheFA.com. The Football Association. 1 August 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  66. ^ Ross, James M. (24 May 2018). "England FA Challenge Cup finals". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  67. ^ Barber, David (3 February 2010). "Fastest Cup hat-trick". The FA. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  68. ^ "FA Cup Heroes". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  69. ^ 20 November – Mac o' Nine Tales[permanent dead link], On This Football Day.
  70. ^ "Gills' Freeman makes Cup history". BBC Sport. 12 November 2007. Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  71. ^ "Finn Smith: Isle of Wight 16-year-old becomes FA Cup's youngest ever goalscorer". British Broadcasting Corporation | Sport. 20 August 2022. Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  72. ^ Bascombe, Chris; Tyers, Alan (10 January 2021). "Alfie Devine, Tottenham's youngest-ever player, among scorers as Marine's FA Cup adventure ends". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022.
  73. ^ "The harder they fall". ESPN.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  74. ^ a b c "Giant-killing not a tall order in FA Cup". The Times. 8 January 2005. Archived from the original on 5 January 2006.
  75. ^ W, Paul (4 April 2020). "The Football Alliance: Teams Who Didn't Make the League". The 1888 Letter. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  76. ^ Medhurst, James. "Southern League Division 1, 1900–01". When Saturday Comes. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  77. ^ BBC Sport Archived 26 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine, 26 January 2013
  78. ^ Walker, Dan. "FA Cup archive: Liverpool lose to Worcester". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  79. ^ "It'll never happen". The Observer. Guardian News and Media. 28 January 2007. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  80. ^ Dirs, Ben. "Ronnie Radford: The FA Cup goal that made time stand still". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  81. ^ "TheFA.com – Twenty to tackle answers". 23 November 2008. Archived from the original on 23 November 2008.
  82. ^ Kessel, Anna (3 January 2009). "Non-league presence in third round of FA Cup breaks all-time record". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  83. ^ "Ask Albert – Number 8". BBC News. 7 December 2000. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  84. ^ "Burnley 0 – 1 Lincoln City". BBC News. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  85. ^ Chasetown 1–3 Cardiff Archived 6 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  86. ^ "Ipswich 1–2 Maidstone: Non-League Stones stun Championship high-flyers in major FA Cup shock". Sky Sports. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  87. ^ "Simms hat-trick sees Coventry end Maidstone's cup run". bbc.co.uk. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  88. ^ "FA Cup fifth round: Non-league Maidstone United's cup run nets them '£700,000 before tax'". BBC News. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  89. ^ "FA Cup: Grimsby shock Southampton in fifth round - Mariners in 'dreamland' after upset". BBC News. 1 March 2023. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  90. ^ "Ask Albert – Number 5". BBC Sport. 19 February 2001. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  91. ^ "Merton to be given Dons trophies". BBC Sport. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 January 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  92. ^ "TheFA.com – Shocks do happen". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 5 March 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2005.
  93. ^ "FA Cup semi-final draw 2008". BBC Sport. 10 March 2008. Archived from the original on 17 March 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  94. ^ "FA face Setanta shortfall". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  95. ^ "FA Cup to be broadcast Free-to-Air". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  96. ^ "Latics to face Leeds in Cup". Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  97. ^ Gibson, Owen (7 December 2009). "ESPN secures rights to show FA Cup matches from next season". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  98. ^ "ESPN's 3D coverage of 2011 FA Cup Final to be available on Sky 3D". Sky TV. London. Archived from the original on 2 May 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  99. ^ "BT Group acquires ESPN's UK and Ireland television channels business" (Press release). BT Group. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  100. ^ "Watch The FA Cup online". Archived from the original on 23 November 2008.
  101. ^ "Cup tie live online". Archived from the original on 18 August 2008.
  102. ^ McNulty, Phil (17 July 2013). "BBC to show live matches from 2014–15 season". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  103. ^ "S4C to broadcast live coverage of Wrexham's FA Cup clash". S4C. Sianel Pedwar Cymru. 2 November 2011. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  104. ^ "Wrexham v Stevenage or Maidstone live on BBC Wales". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 13 November 2014. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  105. ^ "FA Cup to be free-to-air from 2021". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  106. ^ "SuperSport – Pakete Televizive Sportive | Lajme Sportive – Supersport.al". Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  107. ^ "Teledeporte emite la Emirates FA Cup". RTVE.es. 3 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  108. ^ "beIN SPORTS Kembali Siarkan Pertandingan FA Cup di Indonesia". beinsports-id (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 1 September 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2019.

Notes edit

  1. ^ Since the formation of the Football League in 1888, the only non-League club to win the FA Cup is Tottenham Hotspur in 1901. Since 1914, when Queens Park Rangers reached the fourth round proper (the last eight/quarter-final stage), the only non-League club to have reached that stage is Lincoln City in 2017. Both Tottenham and QPR achieved their feats whilst members of the Southern Football League, which ran parallel to the Football League until 1920, when the Football League expanded and absorbed the top division of the Southern League. Since then, the Southern League became part of the English league pyramid, below the Football League.

External links edit

  • Official website  
  • Thomas Fattorini Ltd. makers of the 1911 FA Cup – manufacturers of the 1911 FA Cup and other sporting trophies
  • FA Cup statistics (archived 16 June 2009)
  • FA Cup going under the hammer – BBC News story on the sale of the second trophy
  • FA Supporters – Independent FA Cup Supporters Club (archived 6 October 2014)