The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is the main "knockout" cup competition in English football, run by and named for The Football Association.
The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world. As such its prestige as the sport's premier domestic cup competition is without par around the world. As it involves clubs of all standards playing against each other, there is great scope for "giant-killers" from the lower divisions to eliminate top clubs from the tournament.
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The competition is a knockout (single elimination) tournament with ties drawn completely at random - there are no seeds. The draw also determines which team will play at home. If a match is drawn, there is a replay at the ground of the other team. Drawn replays are now settled with extra time and penalty competitions, though in the past further replays were possible, and some ties took as many as five matches to settle. The semi-finals are contested at neutral venues, and the final is normally played at Wembley Stadium in London. During the redevelopment of Wembley, finals have been played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. This is the first time the final has been played outside of England.
The competition begins with the Extra-Preliminary rounds contested by non-league clubs in August, which any F.A. affiliated club meeting a basic standard of ability and ground facilities may enter. 644 clubs entered the competition in the 2003/04 season,and a record 660 for 2004/05 (the old record was 656 in 1921/22). Following the Extra-Preliminary Round is a Preliminary Round, four Qualifying Rounds, and six Rounds of the competition proper, followed by the Semi-Finals and the Final. All Football League clubs may enter. Non-league clubs may also enter if they competed in the previous season's FA Trophy or FA Vase and are deemed to be playing in an "acceptable" league for the current season. All clubs entering the competition must have a suitable and safe stadium capacity.
Teams from the higher levels of the non-league "pyramid" may get exemptions from some of these rounds: Clubs from the Nationwide Conference are given a bye to the Fourth Qualifying Round, clubs from Football League One and Two join the winners of the Fourth Qualifying Round in the draw for the First Round proper in November. Football League Championship and Premier League teams are given a bye into the Third Round, traditionally held in the first weekend in January. The Final is played at the end of the season in May. Tottenham Hotspur F.C. were the only non-league winners of the FA Cup, in 1901. They were then playing in the Southern League and were only elected to the Football League in 1908. At that time the Football League consisted of only two 18-team divisions; their victory would be comparable to a team near the bottom of the FL Championship division winning today.
The winning team qualifies by right for the first round of the UEFA Cup. If the winners qualify for the Champions League, the losing finalist qualifies for the UEFA Cup. If both finalists qualify for the Champions League, an extra UEFA Cup place is given on the basis of Premier League position.
The FA Cup has a long tradition of lower-division and non-league teams becoming "giant-killers" by defeating highly-ranked opponents. Yeovil Town F.C. reached the fifth round in 1948-49 while in the Southern League, and defeated League opposition many other times before winning promotion to the Football League in 2003. In 1956-57 Bournemouth beat Wolves and Spurs before a controversial quarter-final defeat by Manchester United. Non-league Hereford United F.C. famously beat Newcastle in 1971. A fifth-round tie in 1977-78 pitched two giant-killers together: Third Division Wrexham, who had beaten Bristol City and Newcastle, and non-league Blyth Spartans A.F.C. who had beaten Stoke. Wrexham won the replay in front of a huge crowd at St. James' Park in Newcastle, but were beaten by Arsenal in the next round. Wrexham did get some revenge a few years later when they beat Arsenal in a 1992 third round tie in north Wales. The achievement was especially notable as the previous year Arsenal had been league champions and Wrexham had finished bottom of the league. In 1988-89 Coventry, the winners two seasons previously, lost away 2-1 to Sutton United of the Conference.
Manchester United have won the cup the most times - eleven in all. Two clubs have won the cup on three consecutive occasions - Wanderers (1876-8) and Blackburn Rovers (1884-6). Leicester City hold the unfortunate record of having appeared in four FA Cup finals without ever winning the cup.
The top 10 clubs by number of wins (and when they last won and lost a final):
| Club | Winner | Last win | Runner-up | Last losing final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | 11 | 2004 | 5 | 1995 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 9 | 2003 | 7 | 2001 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 1991 | 1 | 1987 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 7 | 1957 | 3 | 2000 |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 6 | 1955 | 7 | 1999 |
| Liverpool | 6 | 2001 | 6 | 1996 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 6 | 1928 | 2 | 1960 | |
| 8 | Everton | 5 | 1995 | 7 | 1989 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 5 | 1968 | 5 | 1935 | |
| Wanderers FC | 5 | 1878 | 0 |
Six clubs have won the FA Cup as part of a League and Cup double, these are Preston North End (1889), Aston Villa (1897), Spurs (1961), Arsenal (1971, 1998, 2002), Liverpool (1986) and Manchester United (1994, 1996, 1999). The double winners are highlighted in bold in the table below. Arsenal and Manchester United share the record of three doubles. Arsenal are the only club to win doubles in distinct decades, and have in fact won in three different decades.
In 1999, Manchester United added the Champions League crown to its double, an accomplishment known as The Treble.
In 2001, Liverpool did not win the league, but won the League Cup and UEFA Cup to complete a different treble. This less prestigious set of results has been called, by opposition fans, the Tin Pot Treble.
The full results of the final:
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | Wanderers FC | Royal Engineers | 1 - 0 |
| 1873 | Wanderers FC | Oxford University | 2 - 0 |
| 1874 | Oxford University | Royal Engineers | 2 - 0 |
| 1875 | Royal Engineers | Old Etonians | 1 - 1 (aet) ; 2 - 0 (replay) |
| 1876 | Wanderers FC | Old Etonians | 1 - 1 (aet) ; 3 - 0 (replay) |
| 1877 | Wanderers FC | Oxford University | 2 - 1 (aet) |
| 1878 | Wanderers FC | Royal Engineers | 3 - 1 |
| 1879 | Old Etonians | Clapham Rovers | 1 - 0 |
| 1880 | Clapham Rovers | Oxford University | 1 - 0 |
| 1881 | Old Carthusians | Old Etonians | 3 - 0 |
| 1882 | Old Etonians | Blackburn Rovers | 1 - 0 |
| 1883 | Blackburn Olympic | Old Etonians | 2 - 1 (aet) |
| 1884 | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park | 2 - 1 |
| 1885 | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park | 2 - 0 |
| 1886 | Blackburn Rovers | West Bromwich Albion | 0 - 0 (aet) ; 2 - 0 (replay) |
| 1887 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion | 2 - 0 |
| 1888 | West Bromwich Albion | Preston North End | 2 - 1 |
| 1889 | Preston North End | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 - 0 |
| 1890 | Blackburn Rovers | Sheffield Wednesday | 6 - 1 |
| 1891 | Blackburn Rovers | Notts County | 3 - 1 |
| 1892 | West Bromwich Albion | Aston Villa | 3 - 0 |
| 1893 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Everton | 1 - 0 |
| 1894 | Notts County | Bolton Wanderers | 4 - 1 |
| 1895 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion | 1 - 0 |
| 1896 | Sheffield Wednesday | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 - 1 |
| 1897 | Aston Villa | Everton | 3 - |
| 1898 | Nottingham Forest | Derby County | 3 - 1 |
| 1899 | Sheffield United | Derby County | 4 - 1 |
| 1900 | Bury | Southampton | 4 - 0 |
| 1901 | Tottenham Hotspur | Sheffield United | 2 - 2 (aet); 3 - 1 (replay) |
| 1902 | Sheffield United | Southampton | 1 - 1 (aet); 2 - 1 (replay) |
| 1903 | Bury | Derby County | 6 - 0 |
| 1904 | Manchester City | Bolton Wanderers | 1 - 0 |
| 1905 | Aston Villa | Newcastle United | 2 - 0 |
| 1906 | Everton | Newcastle United | 1 - 0 |
| 1907 | Sheffield Wednesday | Everton | 2 - 1 |
| 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Newcastle United | 3 - 1 |
| 1909 | Manchester United | Bristol City | 1 - 0 |
| 1910 | Newcastle United | Barnsley | 1 - 1 (aet); 2 - 0 (replay) |
| 1911 | Bradford City | Newcastle United | 0 - 0 (aet); 1 - 0 (replay) |
| 1912 | Barnsley | West Bromwich Albion | 0 - 0 (aet); 1 - 0 (aet, replay) |
| 1913 | Aston Villa | Sunderland | 1 - 0 |
| 1914 | Burnley | Liverpool | 1 - 0 |
| 1915 | Sheffield United | Chelsea | 3 - 0 |
| 1916 - 1919 | No matches due to World War One | ||
| 1920 | Aston Villa | Huddersfield Town | 1 - 0 (aet) |
| 1921 | Tottenham Hotspur | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 - 0 |
| 1922 | Huddersfield Town | Preston North End | 1 - 0 |
| 1923 | Bolton Wanderers | West Ham United | 2 - 0 |
| 1924 | Newcastle United | Aston Villa | 2 - 0 |
| 1925 | Sheffield United | Cardiff City | 1 - 0 |
| 1926 | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester City | 1 - 0 |
| 1927 | Cardiff City | Arsenal | 1 - 0 |
| 1928 | Blackburn Rovers | Huddersfield Town | 3 - 1 |
| 1929 | Bolton Wanderers | Portsmouth | 2 - 0 |
| 1930 | Arsenal | Huddersfield Town | 2 - 0 |
| 1931 | West Bromwich Albion | Birmingham | 2 - 1 |
| 1932 | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 2 - 1 |
| 1933 | Everton | Manchester City | 3 - 0 |
| 1934 | Manchester City | Portsmouth | 2 - 1 |
| 1935 | Sheffield Wednesday | West Bromwich Albion | 4 - 2 |
| 1936 | Arsenal | Sheffield United | 1 - 0 |
| 1937 | Sunderland | Preston North End | 3 - 1 |
| 1938 | Preston North End | Huddersfield Town | 1 - 0 (aet) |
| 1939 | Portsmouth | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4 - 1 |
| 1940 | Abandoned due to World War Two | ||
| 1941 - 1945 | No matches due to World War Two | ||
| 1946 | Derby County | Charlton Athletic | 4 - 1 (aet) |
| 1947 | Charlton Athletic | Burnley | 1 - 0 (aet) |
| 1948 | Manchester United | Blackpool | 4 - 2 |
| 1949 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Leicester City | 3 - 1 |
| 1950 | Arsenal | Liverpool | 2 - 0 |
| 1951 | Newcastle United | Blackpool | 2 - 0 |
| 1952 | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 1 - 0 |
| 1953 | Blackpool | Bolton Wanderers | 4 - 3 |
| 1954 | West Bromwich Albion | Preston North End | 3 - 2 |
| 1955 | Newcastle United | Manchester City | 3 - 1 |
| 1956 | Manchester City | Birmingham City | 3 - 1 |
| 1957 | Aston Villa | Manchester United | 2 - 1 |
| 1958 | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester United | 2 - 0 |
| 1959 | Nottingham Forest | Luton Town | 2 - 1 |
| 1960 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Blackburn Rovers | 3 - 0 |
| 1961 | Tottenham Hotspur | Leicester City | 2 - 0 |
| 1962 | Tottenham Hotspur | Burnley | 3 - 1 |
| 1963 | Manchester United | Leicester City | 3 - 1 |
| 1964 | West Ham United | Preston North End | 3 - 2 |
| 1965 | Liverpool | Leeds United | 2 - 1 (aet) |
| 1966 | Everton | Sheffield Wednesday | 3 - 2 |
| 1967 | Tottenham Hotspur | Chelsea | 2 - 1 |
| 1968 | West Bromwich Albion | Everton | 1 - 0 (aet) |
| 1969 | Manchester City | Leicester City | 1 - 0 |
| 1970 | Chelsea | Leeds United | 2 - 2 (aet); 2 - 1 (replay) |
| 1971 | Arsenal | Liverpool | 2 - 1 |
| 1972 | Leeds United | Arsenal | 1 - 0 |
| 1973 | Sunderland | Leeds United | 1 - 0 |
| 1974 | Liverpool | Newcastle United | 3 - 0 |
| 1975 | West Ham United | Fulham | 2 - 0 |
| 1976 | Southampton | Manchester United | 1 - 0 |
| 1977 | Manchester United | Liverpool | 2 - 1 |
| 1978 | Ipswich Town | Arsenal | 1 - 0 |
| 1979 | Arsenal | Manchester United | 3 - 2 |
| 1980 | West Ham United | Arsenal | 1 - 0 |
| 1981 | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester City | 1 - 1 (aet); 3 - 2 (replay) |
| 1982 | Tottenham Hotspur | Queen's Park Rangers | 1 - 1 (aet); 1 - 0 (replay) |
| 1983 | Manchester United | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 - 2 (aet); 4 - 0 (replay) |
| 1984 | Everton | Watford F.C. | 2 - 0 |
| 1985 | Manchester United | Everton | 1 - 0 (aet) |
| 1986 | Liverpool | Everton | 3 - 1 |
| 1987 | Coventry | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 - 2 (aet) |
| 1988 | Wimbledon | Liverpool | 1 - 0 |
| 1989 | Liverpool | Everton | 3 - 2 (aet) |
| 1990 | Manchester United | Crystal Palace | 3 - 3 (aet); 1 - 0 (replay) |
| 1991 | Tottenham Hotspur | Nottingham Forest | 2 - 1 (aet) |
| 1992 | Liverpool | Sunderland | 2 - 0 |
| 1993 | Arsenal | Sheffield Wednesday | 1 - 1; 2 - 1 (replay, aet) |
| 1994 | Manchester United | Chelsea | 4 - 0 |
| 1995 | Everton | Manchester United | 1 - 0 |
| 1996 | Manchester United | Liverpool | 1 - 0 |
| 1997 | Chelsea | Middlesbrough | 2 - 0 |
| 1998 | Arsenal | Newcastle United | 2 - 0 |
| 1999 | Manchester United | Newcastle United | 2 - 0 |
| 2000 | Chelsea | Aston Villa | 1 - 0 |
| 2001 | Liverpool | Arsenal | 2 - 1 |
| 2002 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2 - 0 |
| 2003 | Arsenal | Southampton | 1 - 0 |
| 2004 | Manchester United | Millwall | 3 - 0 |