annual English football competition
This article is about the english annual men ‘s association football competition. For other uses, see FA Cup ( disambiguation ) “ Emirates FA Cup ” redirects here. For the pre-season invitational tournament, see Emirates Cup

Reading: Wikipedia

Football tournament
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more normally known as the FA Cup, is an annual smasher football rival in men ‘s domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football contest in the populace. [ 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 patronize. A coincident women ‘s tournament is besides held, the Women ‘s FA Cup. The competition is outdoors to any eligible golf club polish to Level 10 of the English football league system – all 92 professional clubs in the Premier League ( level 1 ) and the English Football League ( levels 2 to 4 ), and several hundred non-League teams in steps 1 to 6 of the National League System ( levels 5 to 10 ). [ 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 examination. Entrants are not seeded, although a system of byes based on league flush ensures higher rate teams enter in later rounds – the minimal number of games needed to win, depending on which attack a team enters the competition, ranges from six to fourteen. The first six rounds are the Qualifying Competition, from which 32 teams progress to the first round of the Competition Proper, meeting the first gear of the 48 professional teams from Leagues One and Two. The final entrants are the Premier League and 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 concluding. [ note 1 ] As a resultant role, significant focus is given to the smaller teams who progress furthest, particularly if they achieve an unlikely “ giant-killing ” victory. Winners receive the FA Cup trophy, of which there have been two designs and five actual cup ; the latest is a 2014 replica of the second design, introduced in 1911. Winners besides qualify for the UEFA Europa League and a put in the approaching FA Community Shield. Arsenal are the most successful club with fourteen titles and Arsène Wenger is the most successful director in the history of the contest, having won seven finals as Arsenal ‘s director. Leicester City are the stream holders, having beaten Chelsea 1–0 in the 2021 final .

history [edit ]

In 1863, the newly founded Football Association ( the FA ) published the Laws of the Game of Association Football, unifying the assorted 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 concluding, on 16 March 1872. Wanderers retained the trophy the follow year. The advanced 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, normally known as the “ White Horse Final ”, was the first concluding to be played in the newly opened Wembley Stadium ( known at the time as the Empire Stadium ). The 1927 final go steady “ Abide with Me “ being sung for the beginning time at the Cup final examination, which has become a pre-match custom. [ 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 centennial year until 1980–81 ; appropriately the final featured a goal by Ricky Villa which was later voted the greatest goal always scored in an FA Cup Final, but has since been replaced by Steven Gerrard. [ 5 ] Having previously featured replays, the modern day exercise of ensuring the semi-final and final examination matches finish on the day was introduced in 2000. renovation of Wembley saw the final bet outside of England for the inaugural meter, 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 .

eligibility [edit ]

The competition is open to any club down to Level 10 of the English football league system which meets the eligibility criteria. All clubs in the top four levels ( the Premier League and the three divisions of the Football League ) are automatically eligible. Clubs in the following six levels ( non-league football ) are besides eligible provided they have played in either the FA Cup, FA Trophy or FA Vase competitions in the previous season. newly formed clubs, such as F.C. United of Manchester in 2005–06 and besides 2006–07, may not therefore play in the FA Cup in their inaugural season. All clubs entering the competition must besides have a suitable stadium. It is very rare for top clubs to miss the rival, although it can happen in exceptional circumstances. Manchester United did not defend their entitle in 1999–2000, as they were already in the inaugural Club World Championship. The club stated that entering both tournaments would overload their repair schedule and make it more difficult to defend their Champions League and Premier League titles. The cabaret 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 demote 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 handle of the position. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] 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 besides took depart 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. In the 2013–14 season the first gear Channel Island club entered the competition when Guernsey F.C. competed. [ 9 ] The first game played in the Channel Islands – and frankincense the southernmost FA Cup tie played – took target on 7 August 2021 between Jersey Bulls F.C. and Horsham YMCA F.C. . The phone number of entrants has increased greatly in late years. In the 2004–05 season, 660 clubs entered the contest, beating the long-standing commemorate 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, and for the 2008–09 and 2009–10 competitions it reached 762. [ 10 ] The number has varied slenderly but remained roughly stable since then, with 759 clubs participating in 2010–11, a record 763 in 2011–12, 758 for 2012–13, 737 for 2013–14 and 736 for 2014–15. By comparison, the other major English domestic cup, the League Cup, involves lone the 92 members of the Premier League and Football League .

rival format [edit ]

overview [edit ]

Beginning in August, the competition proceeds as a smasher tournament throughout, consisting of twelve rounds, a semi-final and then a concluding, in May. A system of adieu ensures clubs above Level 9 and 10 figure the contest at later stages. There is no sow, the fixtures in each circle being determined by a random draw. Prior to the fifth beat, fixtures ending in a bind are replayed once only. [ 11 ] The first six rounds are qualifiers, with the draws organised on a regional footing. The next six rounds are the “ proper ” rounds where all clubs are in one draw .

schedule [edit ]

Entrants from the bottom two levels ( 9 and 10 ) begin the competition in the Extra Preliminary Round. Clubs from higher levels are then added in later rounds, as per the table below. The months in which rounds are played are traditional, with exact dates subject to each year ‘s calendar .

Round[2]

New entrants at this round[2]

Month

No. of matches

Qualifying Competition[2]

Extra-Preliminary Round

Level 9 and 10 clubs

August

184

Preliminary Round

Level 8 clubs

160

First Round

Level 7 clubs

September

116

Second Round

Level 6 clubs

80

Third Round

none

October

40

Fourth Round

Level 5 clubs

32

Competition Proper[2]

First Round

Level 3 and 4 clubs

November

40

Second Round

none

December

20

Third Round

Level 1 and 2 clubs

January

32

Fourth Round

none

16

Fifth Round

February

8

Quarter-finals

March

4

Semi-Finals

April

2

Final

May

1

The qualify rounds are regionalised to reduce the travel costs for smaller non-league sides. The first and second proper rounds were besides 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 late times when this model was not followed were : 1999–2000, when most rounds were played a few weeks early 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 concluding, [ 12 ] adenine well as in 2011–12 to allow England time to prepare for that summer ‘s european Championships ; [ 13 ] and 2019–20 when the final was delayed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. [ 14 ] [ 15 ]

The draw [edit ]

The draw for the Extra-Preliminary, Preliminary, and First Qualifying Rounds used to all occur at the same meter. thereafter, the draw for each subsequent rung is not made until after the scheduled dates for the previous round of golf, meaning that in the casing of replays, clubs will often know their future opponents in advance. The draw for each of the proper rounds is broadcast exist on television receiver, normally taking space at the stopping point of populate coverage of one of the games of the previous polish. public interest is particularly high during the draw for the third attack, 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 hush tied, the winner is settled by a period of extra meter, and if still necessity, a penalty gunfight. 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 besides settled by extra time and penalties. Until 1990–91, far replays would be played until one team was triumphant. Some ties took a many as six matches to settle ; in their 1975 campaign, Fulham played 12 games over six rounds, which remains the most games played by a team to reach a final. [ 16 ] Replays were traditionally played three or four days after the master game, but from 1991–92 they were staged at least 10 days late 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. [ 17 ] From 1980–81 to 1998–99, the semi-finals went to extra time on the day if the score after 90 minutes was a pull. If the score was even level after extra time, the catch would go to a replay. Replays for the semi-finals were scrapped for 1999–2000, the last semi-final to go into a play back was in 1998–99 when Manchester United beat Arsenal 2–1 after extra time. The first game had ended in a 0–0 tie. The first FA Cup Final to go to extra time and a replay was the 1875 concluding, between the Royal Engineers and the Old Etonians. The initial tie finished 1–1 but the Royal Engineers won the play back 2–0 in normal time. The final replay final was the 1993 FA Cup Final, when Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday fought a 1–1 pull back. 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 v West Ham United in the 2015–16 FA Cup. The original game at Old Trafford ended in a 1–1 drawing card, while Manchester United won the replay at the Boleyn Ground, 2–1. It was besides the last FA Cup game ever played at the Boleyn Ground. [ 18 ] The survive fifth attack 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. [ 19 ]

reservation for subsequent competitions [edit ]

The FA Cup winners qualify for the follow season ‘s UEFA Europa League ( once named the UEFA Cup ; from its establish in 1960 until 1998, they entered the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners ‘ Cup rather ). 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 besides qualified for the pursuit season ‘s Champions League or Europa League through their league or european performance, then the losing FA Cup finalist were given the European position of the League Cup winners and the League Cup winners would be given the league berth alternatively ( in the Cup Winners ‘ Cup era, teams qualifying for the UEFA Cup via other competitions would be promoted to the Cup Winners ‘ Cup alternatively ). FA Cup winners enter the Europa League at the group stage. Losing finalists, if they had not qualified for Europe via the league, began early, at the play-off or third qualifying round stage. [ 20 ] From the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League season, however, UEFA does not allow the runner-up to qualify for the Europa League through the competition. [ 21 ] If the achiever — and until 2015, the runner-up — has already qualified for Europe through their league placement ( with the exception of the UEFA Cup until 1998 ), the FA Cup position is then given to the highest-place team in the league who has not however qualified .

FA Community Shield [edit ]

The FA Cup winners besides qualify for the following season ‘s single-match FA Community Shield, the traditional season undoer played against the former temper ‘s Premier League champions ( or the Premier League runner-up if the FA Cup winners besides won the league – the double ) .

Venues [edit ]

Fixtures in the 12 rounds of the competition are normally played at the home footing of one of the two teams. The semi-finals and final are played at a achromatic venue – the rebuild Wembley Stadium ( since 2008 and 2007 respectively ) .

competition rounds [edit ]

In the matches for the twelve competition rounds, the team who plays at home is decided when the fixtures are drawn – merely the first team puff out for each fixture. occasionally games may have to be moved to early grounds due to other events taking stead, security reasons or a anchor not being desirable to host democratic teams. however, since 2003, clubs can not move grounds to the aside side ‘s for capacity or fiscal reasons. If any move has to be made, it has to be to a neutral venue and any extra monies earned by the travel goes into the central pot. [ 22 ] In the event of a draw, the replay is played at the flat coat of the team who originally played away from home. In the days when multiple replays were potential, the second replay ( and any far replays ) were played at neutral grounds. The clubs involved could alternatively agree to toss for home plate advantage in the second replay .
The semi-finals have been played entirely at the rebuild Wembley Stadium since 2008, one year after it opened and after it had already hosted a final ( in 2007 ). For the inaugural ten of the competition, the Kennington Oval was used as the semi-final venue. In the menstruation between this first decade and the reopen of Wembley, semi-finals were played at high-capacity neutral venues around England ; normally the home grounds of teams not involved in that semi-final, chosen to be approximately equidistant between the two teams for fairness of locomotion. 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 besides used seven times for semi-final, between 1991 and 2000 ( the final hold there ), but not always for fixtures featuring London teams. In 2005, both were held at the Millennium Stadium. In 2003 the FA took the decision to permanently use the new Wembley for semi-finals to recoup debts in financing the new stadium. [ 23 ] This was controversial, with the move seen as both unfair to fans of teams located far from London, equally well as taking some of the prestige away from a Wembley final. [ 24 ] In defending the motivate, the FA has besides cited the extra capability Wembley offers, although the 2013 repair between Millwall and Wigan led to the unprecedented dance step of placing 6,000 tickets on sale to neutral fans after the game failed to sell out. [ 25 ] A winnow poll by The Guardian in 2013 found 86 % resistance to Wembley semi-finals. [ 25 ]

final [edit ]

The final has been played at the rebuild Wembley Stadium since it opened, in 2007. [ 26 ] The rebuild march meant that between 2001 and 2006 they were hosted at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in Wales. Prior to rebuilding, the concluding was hosted by the master Wembley Stadium since it opened in 1923 ( being in the first place named the Empire Stadium ). One exception to this 78 year series of Empire Stadium finals ( including five replays ) was the 1970 replay between Leeds and Chelsea, held at Old Trafford in Manchester. In the 51 years anterior to the Empire Stadium opening, the concluding ( including 8 replays ) was held in a variety of locations, predominantly in London, and chiefly 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 final three finals before the move to Empire Stadium ) ; and the University of Oxford ‘s Lillie Bridge in Fulham for the moment ever concluding, in 1873. The other venues used meagerly in this menstruation were all outside of London, as follows :

artificial turf [edit ]

The FA permitted artificial turf ( 3G ) pitches in all rounds of the contest from the 2014–15 version and beyond. [ 27 ] Under the 2015–16 rules, the peddle 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 modify rounds alone – if a team with a 3G pitch progressed to the competition proper, they had to switch their tie to the grind of another eligible entrant with a natural grass flip. [ 28 ] Having been potent 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. [ 29 ]

trophy [edit ]

The eventual winners of the contest receive the FA Cup ; it is lone loaned to the golf club by the FA, under the stream ( 2015–16 ) rules it must be returned by 1 March, or earlier if given seven days ‘ notification. [ 2 ] Traditionally, the holders had the Cup until the follow class ‘s presentation, although more recently the trophy has been taken on publicity tours by the FA in between finals. [ 30 ]
The trophy comes in three parts – the cup itself, plus a eyelid 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 can paragon ”, 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. [ 31 ] This new, larger plan was by Fattorini and Sons, and was used from 1911. [ 31 ] In decree to preserve this master, from 1992 it was replaced by an accurate 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 gear used in 2014, was built heavier to withstand the increase handling. [ 30 ] Of the four exist trophies, only the 1895 replica has entered secret ownership. [ 32 ] The appoint of the victorious team is engraved on the silver band around the base vitamin a soon as the final has finished, in order to be cook in meter for the presentation ceremony. [ 30 ] This means the engraver has just five minutes to perform a undertaking which would take 20 under normal conditions, although time is saved by engraving the year on during the match, and sketching the make bold winner. [ 33 ] During the concluding, the trophy is decorated with ribbons in the color of both finalists, with the loser ‘s ribbons being removed at the end of the game. [ 34 ] The custom 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. [ 35 ] Traditionally, at Wembley finals, the presentation is made at the Royal Box, with players, led by the captain, mounting a stairway to a gangplank in front of the box and returning by a second stairway on the other side of the box. At Cardiff the presentation was made on a dais on the pitch. The custom 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 late in the Pall Mall Restaurant in London. [ 36 ] Under the master rules, the trophy was to be permanently presented to any golf club which won the rival three times, although when inaugural address winners Wanderers achieved this feat by the 1876 concluding, the rules were changed by FA Secretary CW Alcock ( who was besides captain of Wanderers in their first base victory ). [ 37 ] Portsmouth have the differentiation of being the football club which has held the FA Cup trophy for the longest continuous menstruation – 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 director Jack Tinn was rumoured to have kept the FA Cup trophy ‘safe under his seam ‘ throughout the duration of the war, but this is an urban myth. Because the naval city of Portsmouth was a primary coil strategic military target for german Luftwaffe fail, 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 nation public house called The Bird in Hand for the seven years of the war. [ 38 ] After the termination of World War II, the FA Cup trophy was presented back to the Football Association by the club in clock for the 1946 FA Cup Final .

original design from 1871 [edit ]

1871 master [edit ]

The foremost trophy, the ‘little can idol ‘, was made by Martin, Hall & Co at a monetary value of £20. [ 39 ] It was stolen from a Birmingham horseshoe patronize window belonging to William Shillcock while held by Aston Villa on 11 September 1895 and was never seen again. Despite a £10 honor 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. equitable over 60 years later, 80 year previous career criminal Henry ( Harry ) James Burge claimed to have committed the larceny, confessing to a newspaper, with the report being published in the Sunday Pictorial newspaper on 23 February 1958. He claimed to have carried out the looting 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 entrance and other items stolen, detectives decided there was no realistic hypothesis of a conviction and the shell 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 eloquent was being used to forge coins which were then laundered through betting shops at a local racetrack, 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 far imprisoned in 1957 for seven years for larceny from cars. Released in 1961, he died in 1964. [ 40 ]

1895 replica [edit ]

The second FA Cup trophy, used between 1896 and 1910. After the larceny, 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 of the united states Lord Kinnaird. [ 31 ] Kinnaird died in 1923, and his family kept it in their self-control, out of view, until putting it up for auction in 2005. [ 41 ] It was sold at Christie ‘s auction house on 19 May 2005 for £ 420,000 ( £478,400 including auction fees and taxes ). [ 31 ] The sale price set a new earth read for a slice of football memorabilia, surpassing the £254,000 paid for the Jules Rimet World Cup Trophy in 1997. [ 32 ] The successful bidder was David Gold, the then joint chair of Birmingham City ; claiming the FA and politics were doing nothing proactive to ensure the trophy remained in the state, Gold stated his leverage was motivated by wanting to save it for the nation. [ 32 ] Accordingly, Gold presented the trophy to the National Football Museum in Preston on 20 April 2006, where it went on immediate public display. [ 41 ] It later moved with the museum to its new location in Manchester. [ 31 ] In November 2012, it was ceremoniously 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. [ 42 ] 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 lend to the National Football Museum. [ 43 ]

current blueprint from 1911 [edit ]

1911 original [edit ]

FA Cup trophy design by Fattorini & Sons, 1911 The redesign trophy inaugural used in 1911 was larger at 61.5 centimeter ( 24.2 inches ) high, and was designed and manufactured by Fattorini ‘s of Bradford, coincidentally being won by Bradford City in its first come out of the closet. [ 30 ] [ 31 ]

On the 27 March 2016 episode of the BBC television course of study Antiques Roadshow, this trophy was valued at £1 million by technical 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 rather an off-the-rack blueprint in the first place meant to be a wine or champagne cool. [ 31 ] This was late disproved when Thomas Fattorini was invited to the Antiques Roadshow to “ ambush ” Alastair Dickenson with the contest winning design by Fattorini & Sons. The express was filmed at Baddesley Clinton and subsequentially aired on 23 October 2016. A smaller, but otherwise identical, replica was besides made by Thomas Fattorini, the North Wales Coast FA Cup trophy, and is contested annually by members of that regional Association. [ 44 ]

1992 replica [edit ]

The stream blueprint of the FA Cup ( 1992 replica pictured ) The 1992 replica was made by Toye, Kenning and Spencer. [ 45 ] A copy of this trophy was besides produced, in case anything happened to the primary trophy. [ 46 ]

2014 replica [edit ]

The 2014 replica was made by Thomas Lyte, handcrafted in greatest 925 ash grey over 250 hours. A burden increase for greater lastingness has taken it to 6.3 kilograms ( 14 pound ). [ 30 ]

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 ‘ decoration which had remain largely unchanged since the 1890s, and runner-up medals which were concluding updated in 1946, were replaced for the 2021 Final by newfangled designs of gold winners ‘ medals and silver runner-up medals suspended on a ribbon. [ 47 ]
Since the start of the 1994–95 season, the FA Cup has been sponsored. however, to protect the identity of the competition, the sponsored diagnose has always included ‘The FA Cup ‘ in addition to the presenter ‘s name, unlike sponsorship deals for the League Cup where the word ‘cup ‘ is preceded by lone the patronize ‘s appoint. sponsorship deals run for four years, though – as in the case of E.ON – annual extensions may be agreed. Emirates Airline is the presenter from 2015 to 2018, renaming the competition as ‘The Emirates FA Cup ‘, unlike former editions, which included ‘The FA Cup in association with E.ON ‘ and ‘The FA Cup with Budweiser ‘. [ 48 ] This was late extended until 2021. [ 49 ]

Period

Sponsor

Name

1871–72 to 1993–94

No main sponsor

The FA Cup

1994–95 to 1997–98

Littlewoods
The FA Cup sponsored by Littlewoods[50]

1998–99 to 2001–02

AXA
The AXA sponsored FA Cup[51](1998–99)
The FA Cup sponsored by AXA (1999–2002)

2002–03 to 2005–06

No main sponsor

The FA Cup

2006–07 to 2010–11

E.ON
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON[52][53]

2011–12 to 2013–14

Budweiser
The FA Cup with Budweiser[54]

2014–15

No main sponsor

The FA Cup

2015–16 to present

Emirates
The Emirates FA Cup (2015–2020)[48]
Emirates FA Cup (2020–present)

From 2006 to 2013, Umbro supplied match balls for all FA Cup matches. They were replaced at the start of the 2013–14 temper by Nike, who produced the contest ‘s official match ball for five seasons. Mitre took over for the 2018–19 season, beginning a three-year partnership with the FA. [ 55 ]

Records and statistics [edit ]

final examination [edit ]

team [edit ]

person [edit ]

Ian Rush, the former Liverpool striker and record goalscorer in FA Cup final history

All rounds [edit ]

Cup runs and giant killings [edit ]

The possibility of improbable victories in the earlier rounds of the competition, where lower ranked teams beat higher placed confrontation in what is known as a “ elephantine kill ” or “ cupset ”, is a lot anticipated by the public. such upsets are considered an integral depart of the custom and prestige of the competition, and the attention gained by giant-killing teams can be arsenic capital as that for winners of the cup. [ 63 ] Almost every club in the League Pyramid has a fondly remembered giant-killing act in its history. [ 64 ] It is considered particularly newsworthy when a top Premier League team suffers an overturn frustration, or where the giant-killer is a non-league cabaret, i.e. from outside The Football League. One analysis of four years of FA Cup results showed that it was 99.85 per penny probably that at least one team would beat one from its adjacent higher division in a given class. The probability drops to 48.8 per cent for a two-division gap, and 39.28 per cent for a three-division gap. [ 64 ]

early years [edit ]

The Football League was founded in 1888, 16 years after the first FA Cup rival. Since the creation of the Football League, Tottenham Hotspur is the merely non-League side to win the Cup, taking the 1901 FA Cup with a victory over reigning League runner-up Sheffield United. At that time, the Football League consisted of two divisions with a compound entire of 36 clubs, by and large teams from Northern England and the Midlands, following a gradual increase on the original total of 12 Football League clubs on its formation in 1888. Spurs competed in the Southern Football League, which ran parallel to the Football League, and were champions. alone two other non-League clubs have evening reached the final since the establish of the League : Sheffield Wednesday in 1890 ( champions of the Football Alliance, a rival league which was already effectively the tier below the League, which it formally became in 1892 upon formation of the Second Division — Wednesday being let straight into the First Division ) and the Southern League ‘s Southampton in 1900 and 1902. Upon the Football League ‘s expansion and creation of the Third Division for 1920–21, all the clubs in the Southern League First Division clubs transferred over and it has been since placed below the League in the English football league system, with the National League sandwiching the two since 1979–80 .

Non-League giant killings [edit ]

The most late examples of a non-league team ( Levels 5 to 10 ) beating a Level 1 opponent are National League side Lincoln City ‘s away victory over Premier League side Burnley in the 2016–17 FA Cup and Conference Premier side Luton Town ‘s away victory over Level 1 Premier League ‘s Norwich City in the 2012–13 Fourth Round Proper. This was the inaugural kill of a crown flight team by non-league opposition since 1989, when Sutton United claimed a 2–1 victory at home over Coventry City, who had won the FA Cup two seasons earlier and finished that season seventh in the First Division. [ 65 ] In the 1971–72 FA Cup, a non-league side achieved a Level 1 elephantine killing that was voted “ best FA Cup tie ever ” in a 2007 pate by The Observer newspaper. [ 66 ] Non-league Hereford United were trailing First Division Newcastle United 0–1 with less than seven minutes left in the Third Round Proper replay, when Hereford ‘s Ronnie Radford scored the counterweight – a finish still shown regularly when FA Cup fixtures are broadcast. Hereford finished the shocking comeback by defeating Newcastle 2–1 in the meet. They finished that season as runner-up of the Southern League, behind Chelmsford City, and were voted into the Football League at the expense of Barrow. Some modest clubs gain a reputation for being “ cup specialists ” after two or more giant killing feats within a few years. [ 64 ] Yeovil Town hold the commemorate 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. [ 67 ] 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 accomplishment. In the 2008–09 FA Cup, a record eight non-League teams achieved this feat. [ 68 ] As of the 2016–17 season, only nine non-League teams have reached the Fifth Round Proper ( final examination 16 ) since 1945, [ 69 ] and alone Lincoln City have progressed to the Sixth Round ( final examination 8 ), during the 2016–17 edition of the tournament. [ 70 ] Chasetown, while playing at Level 8 of English football during the 2007–08 contest, were the lowest-ranked team to ever play in the Third Round Proper ( concluding 64, of 731 teams entered that season ). Chasetown was then a member of the Southern League Division One Midlands ( a lower grade within the Southern Football League ), when they lost to Football League Championship ( Level 2 ) team Cardiff City, the eventual FA Cup runner-up that year. [ 71 ] Their success earned the lowly organization over £60,000 in trophy money. Marine F.C. matched this in the 2020–21 rival as a member of the Northern Premier League Division One North West, and were drawn against Premier League ( Level 1 ) team Tottenham Hotspur, whom they lost to 5–0 .

colossus killings between League clubs [edit ]

In games between League sides, one of the most luminary results was the 1992 victory by Wrexham, bottom of the previous season ‘s League ( avoiding delegating due to expansion of The Football League ), over reigning champions Arsenal. Another like 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. Most recently, Wigan Athletic pulled off a shock, beating Manchester City 1–0 in the final in 2013. Following a defeat to Arsenal 3 days subsequently, Wigan failed to avoid relegation from the Premier League, becoming the first team to win the Cup and succumb to relegation in the same temper .

Winners and finalists [edit ]

Results by team [edit ]

Since its institution, the FA Cup has been won by 44 different teams. Teams shown in italics are no longer in being. additionally, Queen ‘s Park ceased to be eligible to enter the FA Cup after a Scottish Football Association regnant in 1887. [ 72 ]

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 director is held by Arsène Wenger, who won the FA Cup with Arsenal seven times ( 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017 ). Wenger is besides the only coach to have won the Cup at the previous Wembley Stadium, the Millennium Stadium, and the raw Wembley Stadium .
Manchester City ( 2019 ) are the only cabaret to have achieved a domestic treble of league, FA Cup and EFL Cup, having beaten Chelsea 4–3 on penalties in the EFL Cup Final, finished at the top of the English Premier League, and beaten Watford 6–0 in the FA Cup Final. Seven clubs have won the FA Cup as separate 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 ) and Chelsea ( 2010 ). 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 2–1 in both finals. Liverpool ( in 2001 ), Chelsea ( in 2007 ) and Manchester City ( in 2019 ) have since repeated this feat. In 2012, Chelsea accomplished a different cup double consist of the FA Cup and the 2012 Champions League. In 1998–99, Manchester United added the 1999 Champions League title to their league and cup double to complete a unique Treble. Two years late, in 2000–01, Liverpool won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup to complete a cup double .

outside England [edit ]

The FA Cup has entirely been won by a non-English team once. Cardiff City achieved this in 1927 when they beat arsenal in the concluding at Wembley. They had previously made it to the final only to lose to Sheffield United in 1925 and lost another final examination to Portsmouth in 2008. Cardiff City is besides the alone team to win the national cups of two different countries in the lapp season, having besides won the Welsh Cup in 1927. The scots 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 examination 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 gear 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 entirely non-League winners of the FA Cup since the League ‘s universe. other than Tottenham ‘s victory, alone 24 finalists have come from outside English football ‘s top tier, with a record of 7 wins and 17 runner-up : and none at all from the third base tier or lower, Southampton ( 1902, then in the Southern League ) being the last finalist from outside the top two tiers. Sunderland ‘s succeed in 1973 was considered a major overturned, having beaten Leeds United who finished third base in the circus tent flight that season, [ 74 ] as was West Ham ‘s victory over Arsenal in 1980 as the Gunners were in their one-third consecutive FA Cup Final and were besides the cup holders from the former year ampere well as just having finished 4th in the First Division, whereas West Ham had ended the season 7th in Division 2. This besides marked the last time ( as of 2018–19 ) a team from outside the top class 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 stay top-flight team, Portsmouth. [ 75 ] West Bromwich ( 1931 ) are the lone team to have won the FA Cup and earned promotion to the crown fledge in the same season ; whereas Wigan Athletic ( 2013 ) are the only team to have won the Cup and been relegated from the top fledge in the lapp season .

Media coverage [edit ]

domestic broadcasters [edit ]

The FA Cup Final is one of 10 events reserved for know broadcast on UK terrestrial television receiver 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 visualize of the pitch marked in the Radio Times with number squares to help the hearer follow the catch on the radio. The first FA Cup Final on Radio was in 1926 between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City but this was merely broadcast in Manchester, the beginning national final on BBC Radio was between Arsenal and Cardiff in 1927. The first gear final on BBC Television was in 1937 in a equal which featured Sunderland and Preston North end but this was not televised in full. The following season ‘s final between Preston and Huddersfield was covered in broad by the BBC. When ITV was formed in 1955 they shared final coverage with the BBC in one of the entirely clubhouse matches shown live on television receiver, 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 vitamin a early as 9 ante meridiem 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 contest on terrestrial television and covered the competition from the third gear round onwards, showing one live match per beat alongside highlights. In 1990, BSB obtained rights to the competition, and showed a live equal from rounds 1 and 2. This continued to be the event after Sky took over BSB in 1991. From 1997 to 2001, ITV and Sky shared alive coverage with both having two matches per round of golf and BBC continuing with highlights on Match of the Day. From 2002 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 choice of alive matches from each of the first to sixth rounds of the competition, plus one semi-final entirely bouncy. The final is besides shown live on ITV. Under the same 2008 compress, Setanta Sports showed three games and one replay in each circle from round three to five, two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the final. The channel besides broadcast ITV ‘s matches entirely 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. [ 76 ] As a resultant role of Setanta going out of clientele ITV showed the rival entirely in the 2009–10 season with between three and four matches per attack, all quarter finals, semi-finals and concluding live as the FA could not find a pay television receiver broadcaster in meter. ESPN bought the competition for the 2010–11 to 2012–13 season and during this clock Rebecca Lowe became the first charwoman to host the FA Cup Final in the UK. In October 2009, The FA announced that ITV would show an extra match in the First and Second Rounds on ITV, with one replay equal shown on ITV4. One match and one replay peer from the first two rounds will broadcast on The FA web site for free, in a alike situation to the 2010 World Cup Qualifier between Ukraine and England. [ 77 ] The 2009–10 First Round peer between Oldham Athletic and Leeds United was the first FA Cup catch to be streamed on-line live. [ 78 ] many [ who? ] expected BSkyB to make a wish 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 concluding. ESPN took over the box Setanta held for the FA Cup from the 2010–11 season. [ 79 ] The 2011 final was besides shown exist on Sky 3D in addition to ESPN ( who provided the 3D coverage for Sky 3D ) and ITV. [ 80 ] Following the sale of ESPN ‘s UK and Ireland channels to BT, ESPN ‘s rights software transferred to BT Sport from the 2013–14 season. [ 81 ] BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport provides radio coverage including several full moon live commentaries per beat, with extra commentaries broadcast on BBC Local Radio. Until the 2008–09 season, the BBC and Sky Sports shared television coverage, with the BBC show three matches in the earlier rounds. Some analysts argued the decisiveness to move away from the Sky and, in particular, the BBC undermined the FA Cup in the eyes of the public. The early on rounds of the 2008–09 competition were covered for the first time by ITV ‘s on-line service, ITV Local. The beginning equal of the competition, between Wantage Town and Brading Town, was broadcast alive on-line. Highlights of eight games of each attack were broadcast as catch up on ITV Local. [ 82 ] [ 83 ] Since ITV Local closed, this coverage did not continue. ITV lost the rights to the FA Cup beginning with the 2014–15 FA Cup, sublunar rights returned to BBC Sport, with the final being shown on BBC One while BT Sport hold the give television receiver rights. Under this deal, the BBC will show around the same number of games as ITV and distillery having the inaugural blame for each round. [ 84 ] Matches involving Welsh clubs are sometimes entirely broadcast on Welsh lyric channel S4C, which is besides available to view across the rest of the United Kingdom on satellite and cable television, and through the channel ‘s web site. [ 85 ] A similar musical arrangement is shared with BBC Cymru Wales from 2014 to 2015, potentially giving the BBC an excess match per round off. [ 86 ] On the 23rd May 2019, it was announced that ITV would replace BT Sport in broadcasting the FA Cup from the 2021–22 season, this new cope will see BBC and ITV become joint broadcasters of the tournament for the beginning prison term since 1990, this will mean for the foremost time that all FA Cup matches would be all be entirely broadcast on free-to-air television. [ 87 ]

oversea broadcasters [edit ]

The FA sells oversea rights individually from the domestic contract .

References [edit ]

Notes [edit ]

  1. ^ Since the formation of the Football League in 1888, the merely non-League club to win the FA Cup is Tottenham Hotspur in 1901. Since 1914, when Queens Park Rangers reached the fourthly turn proper ( the last eight/quarter-final stage ), the only non-League clubhouse 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 part of the Southern League. Since then, the Southern League became separate of the English league pyramid, below the Football League .