Fixtures
| Date | R | Home vs Away | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/09 19:00 | 9 |
Sheff Utd vs Cardiff
|
View |
| 01/09 19:45 | 9 |
Everton vs Peterborough
|
View |
| 01/09 19:45 | 9 |
Fulham vs Watford
|
View |
| 01/10 19:45 | - |
Wycombe vs Portsmouth
|
View |
| 01/10 20:00 | 9 |
Aston Villa vs West Ham
|
View |
| 01/11 12:00 | 9 |
Bristol City vs Wolverhampton
|
View |
| 01/11 12:00 | 9 |
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn
|
View |
| 01/11 12:00 | 9 |
Birmingham vs Lincoln City
|
View |
| 01/11 12:15 | 9 |
Liverpool vs Accrington Stanley
|
View |
| 01/11 15:00 | 9 |
Crystal Palace vs Stockport
|
View |
| 01/11 15:00 | 9 |
Ipswich vs Bristol Rovers
|
View |
| 01/11 15:00 | 9 |
Wycombe vs Portsmouth
|
View |
Results
| Date | R | Home vs Away | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/01 15:15 | 8 |
Solihull Moors vs Bromley
|
1-2 |
| 12/01 14:00 | 8 |
Reading vs Harborough Town
|
5-3 |
| 12/01 14:00 | 8 |
Burton Albion vs Tamworth
|
4-5 |
| 12/01 13:00 | 8 |
Blackpool vs Birmingham
|
1-2 |
| 12/01 12:00 | 8 |
Kettering vs Doncaster
|
1-2 |
| 11/30 19:15 | 8 |
AFC Wimbledon vs Dag & Red
|
1-2 |
| 11/30 15:00 | 8 |
Crawley Town vs Lincoln City
|
3-4 |
| 11/30 15:00 | 8 |
Stevenage vs Mansfield
|
0-1 |
| 11/30 15:00 | 8 |
Cambridge Utd vs Wigan
|
1-2 |
| 11/30 15:00 | 8 |
Barnsley vs Bristol Rovers
|
3-4 |
| 11/30 15:00 | 8 |
Morecambe vs Bradford
|
1-0 |
| 11/30 15:00 | 8 |
Peterborough vs Notts County
|
4-3 |
Teams
Man City
West Ham
West Brom
Middlesbrough
Stockport
Boreham Wood
Salford City
Wrexham
Maidstone Utd
Woking
Harrogate Town
York
AFC Fylde
Halifax
Brackley
Oxford City
Ebbsfleet United
Altrincham
Kidderminster
Alfreton Town
Curzon Ashton
Chorley
Marine
Braintree Town
Chester
Dartford
Hitchin
Gainsborough
Torquay
Tamworth
Boston Utd
Skelmersdale Utd
Margate
AFC Telford
Warrington Town
Worcester City
Bishop's Stortford
Darlington 1883
Hemel Hempstead
Corby
Hampton & Richmond
FC United of Manchester
Gloucester
Wealdstone
Stalybridge
Ashton Utd
Hungerford Town
Spennymoor Town
Nuneaton
Dunstable
Wikipedia - FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup and for sponsorship purposes as Emirates FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competition in the world. It is organised by and named after The Football Association (The FA). A concurrent Women's FA Cup has been held since 1970.
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. 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. 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. 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 United are the current holders, having defeated local rivals Manchester City 2–1 in the 2024 final.
History
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 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.
Following the 1914–15 edition, the competition was suspended in mid air 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. 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. Alvechurch and Oxford City contested the most replayed tie in the 1971–72 qualification, in a tie which went to 6 matches. Multiple replays were scrapped for the competition proper in 1991–92, and the qualifying rounds in 1997–98. Replays were removed altogether from the semi-final and final matches in 2000, from the quarter-finals in 2016–17, the fifth round in 2019–20 and the first round onwards from 2024 to 2025.
Redevelopment of Wembley saw the final played outside of England for the first time, the 2001–2006 finals being played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The final returned to Wembley in 2007, followed by the semi-finals from 2008.
The FA Cup is renowned for its rich history, dramatic upsets, and the opportunity it provides for smaller clubs to compete against the giants of English football. Each year, the tournament begins with a series of qualifying rounds, culminating in the main draw that includes top-tier teams. Matches are played in a single-elimination format, with the excitement of potential replays if the initial match ends in a draw.
The tournament reaches its climax at Wembley Stadium, where the final is held, typically in May. The FA Cup final is a highlight of the English football calendar, drawing millions of viewers from around the globe and offering the winning team not only a prestigious trophy but also a place in the following season's UEFA Europa League.
The FA Cup is celebrated for its unpredictability, showcasing the passion and spirit of English football, and it remains a cherished tradition for players, clubs, and fans alike. Whether it's a thrilling last-minute goal, a stunning upset, or a memorable cup run, the England FA Cup continues to capture the hearts of football enthusiasts every season.