The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the
FA Cup, is a
knockoutA single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
cup competition in
English footballAssociation football is a national sport in England.-Terminology:The sport is almost always referred to simply as "football". It is unusual for it to be called "soccer" and it is only referred to as "association football" in very limited circumstances...
, run by and named after
The Football AssociationThe Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a
women's tournamentThe Football Association Women’s Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England - designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier....
is also held. It is
sponsoredCorporate sponsorship of major English football competitions dates back to the early 1980s, although minor competitions such as the Watney Cup and Texaco Cup were sponsored during the early 1970s....
by
E.ONE.ON AG , an energy corporation based in Düsseldorf, Germany, is one of the 30 members of the DAX stock index of major German companies and a member of the Global Titans 50 index. Its chief executive officer is Dr. Wulf H. Bernotat...
, and is therefore officially known as the
FA Cup sponsored by E.ON.
The FA Cup was first held in 1871–72, and is the oldest association football competition in the world. Because it involves clubs of all standards playing against each other, there is the possibility for "
minnowsAn underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favourite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset...
" from the lower divisions to become "giant-killers" by eliminating top clubs from the tournament and even theoreotically win the Cup, although lower division teams rarely reach the final. The holders of the FA Cup are
ChelseaChelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club (are a professional English football club based in West London. The team, founded in 1905, play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football...
, who beat fellow Premier League side
EvertonEverton Football Club are an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool. Having competed in the top division for a record 107 seasons, they have played more top-flight league games than any other English team and have won the League Championship 9 times — the fourth highest...
in the
2009 finalThe 2009 FA Cup Final was the 128th final of the world's oldest domestic football cup competition, the FA Cup. The final was played at Wembley Stadium in London on 30 May 2009 and marked the third time that the final has been staged at the stadium since it was rebuilt...
on 30 May 2009.
Format
The competition is a knockout tournament with pairings for each round drawn at random – there are no seeds, and the draw for each round is not made until after the scheduled dates for the previous round. The draw also determines which teams will play at home.
Each tie is played as a single leg. If a match is drawn, there is a replay, usually at the ground of the team who were away for the first game. Drawn replays are now settled with
extra timeExtra time is an additional period played in some sports codes if the score is tied at the end of normal time. In score notation, it is often denoted by the letters ET or AET, the latter of which stands for "after extra time"....
and
penalty shootoutsPenalty shootouts, properly named kicks from the penalty mark, are a method sometimes used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a draw in a game of association football...
, though until the 1990s further replays would be played until one team was victorious. Some ties took as many as six matches to settle; in their 1975 campaign,
FulhamFulham Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2004, and are in the top tier of English football, the Premier League...
played a total of 12 games over six rounds, which remains the most games played by a team to reach a final. Replays were traditionally played three or four days after the original game, but from
1991–92- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of players like Eric Cantona, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister...
they were staged at least 10 days later on police advice. This led to penalty shoot-outs being introduced. Replays are no longer held for the semi-finals or final.
There are a total of 14 rounds in the competition—six qualifying rounds, followed by six further rounds, semi-finals, and the final. The competition begins in August with the Extra Preliminary Round, followed by the Preliminary Round and First Qualifying Round, which are contested by the lowest-ranked clubs. Clubs playing in the
Conference NorthThe Conference North is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of the English football league system...
and
Conference Souththumb|right|South Conference TrophyConference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
are given exemption to the Second Qualifying Round, and
Conference NationalConference National is the top division of the Football Conference. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
teams are given exemption to the Fourth Qualifying Round. The 32 winners from that round join the 48 clubs from League One and League Two in the First Round (often called the First Round Proper). Finally, teams from the Premier League and
Football League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League.The Football League Championship was introduced for the 2004–05 season,...
enter at the Third Round Proper, at which point there are 64 teams remaining in the competition.
The qualifying rounds are regionalised to reduce the travel costs for smaller non-league sides. The First and Second Rounds were also previously split into Northern and Southern sections, but this practice was ended after the 1997–98 competition.
The FA Cup has a set pattern for when each round is played. Normally the First Round is played in mid-November, with the Second Round on one of the first two Saturdays in December. The third round is played on the first weekend in January, with the Fourth Round later in the month and Fifth Round in mid-February. The Sixth Round (or quarter-finals) traditionally occurs in early or mid March, with the semi-finals a month later. The final is normally held the Saturday after the Premier League season finishes in May. The only season in recent times when this pattern was not followed was
1999–2000-Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World...
, when most rounds were played a few weeks earlier than normal as an experiment.
As well as being presented with the trophy, the winning team also qualifies for the UEFA Europa League (formerly named the UEFA Cup). If the winners have already qualified for the
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe...
via the Premier League, the UEFA Europa League place goes to the FA Cup runners-up. If they also have qualified for the UEFA Champions League, the place goes to the next highest placed finisher in the league table.
The draw
The draw for each round, performed by drawing numbered balls from a bag, is a source of great interest to clubs and their supporters, and is broadcast live on television. Sometimes two top clubs may be drawn against each other in the early rounds, removing the possibility of them meeting in the final. Lower-ranked clubs with reputations as 'giant-killers' look forward to meeting a top team at home, although in some cases the expense of providing policing for a game can outweigh any financial windfall from larger crowds. Mid-ranked teams hope for a draw against a peer to improve their chances of reaching future rounds. Top-ranked teams look for easy opposition, but have to be on their guard against 'giant-killers' and lower teams with ambition. The draw was once broadcast from a television studio, and was done by officials of the Football Association. By 2007 it had become a public event. For the first round proper, it was broadcast live from
Soho SquareSoho Square is a square in Soho, London, England, with a park and garden area at its centre that dates back to 1681. It was originally called King Square after Charles II, whose statue stands in the square. At the centre of the garden, there is a distinctive half-timbered gardener's hut. During the...
in London, the balls being drawn by famous players.
Eligible teams
All clubs in the Premier League and Football League are automatically eligible, and clubs in the next six levels of the
English football league systemThe English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in England...
are also eligible provided they have played in either the FA Cup,
FA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
or
FA VaseThe Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System. For the 2008–09 season 514 entrants were accepted, with two qualifying rounds preceding the six proper rounds, semi-finals and final to be played at...
competitions in the previous season. Newly formed clubs that start playing in a high league, such as
AFC WimbledonAFC Wimbledon are a semi-professional English football club affiliated to both the London and Surrey Football Associations. AFC Wimbledon take their name from and trace their origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, although their home ground, Kingsmeadow, is in the neighbouring Royal...
or
FC United of ManchesterFootball Club United of Manchester is a semi-professional English football club based in Bury and currently playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the 7th tier of league football...
, may not therefore play in the FA Cup in their first season. All clubs entering the competition must also have a suitable
stadiumA modern stadium is a place, or venue, for outdoor sports, concerts or other events, consisting of a field or stage partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.-History of the stadium:The word originates from the Greek word...
. It is very rare for top clubs to miss the competition, although it can happen in exceptional circumstances.
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
withdrew from the
1999–2000The FA Cup 1999–2000 was the 119th staging of the world's oldest cup competition, the Football Association Cup or FA Cup. Both the semi-finals and final of the competition were played at Wembley Stadium for the last time before reconstruction work began. The competition culminated with the FA Cup...
competition due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Championship, although this was highly controversial at the time.
Welsh sides that play in English leagues are eligible, although since the creation of the
League of WalesThe Welsh Premier League is the national football league for Wales and is at the top of the Welsh football league system. Prior to 2002, the league was known as the League of Wales, but changed its name as part of a sponsorship deal...
there are only six such clubs remaining:
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
,
Swansea CitySwansea City Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales, currently playing in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1912, they joined the Football League in 1920, and have been members ever since....
,
WrexhamWrexham Association Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid. Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in the UK and are the oldest professional club in Wales...
,
Merthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil Football Club is a Welsh football club, based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. The team currently play in the Premier Division of the Southern League....
,
Newport CountyNewport County are a Welsh football team based in Newport who currently play in the English Conference South.They were founded in 1912 and joined the Football League's new Third Division in 1920....
and
Colwyn BayColwyn Bay F.C. are a Welsh football club who currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North. Nicknamed the Seagulls, the club play at Llanelian Road in Old Colwyn.-History:...
. In the early years other teams from Wales, Ireland and Scotland also took part in the competition, with Glasgow side
Queen's ParkQueen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi - to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest football...
reaching the final in 1884 and 1885 before being barred from entering by the
Scottish Football AssociationThe Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
.
The number of entrants has increased greatly in recent years. In the 2004–05 season, 660 clubs entered the competition, beating the long-standing record of 656 from the 1921–22 season. In
2005–06The FA Cup 2005-06 was the 125th staging of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.The competition began on August 20 2005, with the lowest-ranked of the 674 entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary round...
this increased to 674 entrants, in
2006–07The FA Cup 2006–07 was the 126th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup...
to 687, in
2007–08The FA Cup 2007–08 was the 127th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. A record 731 clubs' entries were accepted for the competition....
to 731 clubs, and in the current 2008–09 competition it has reached 762. By comparison, the other major English domestic cup, the
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, involves only the 92 members of the Premier League and Football League.
Venues
Matches in the FA Cup are usually played at the home ground of one of the two teams. The team who plays at home is decided when the matches are drawn. There is no seeding system in place within rounds other than when teams enter the competition, therefore the home team is 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. In the event of a draw, the
replayReplay can refer to:*Replay , a replayed match in between two sport teams to decide in case of tie or conflict resulting from scoring, officiating, fouling or other factors...
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.
Traditionally, the
FA Cup FinalThe FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just The Cup Final is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the second best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the best attended...
was played at
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
's Wembley Stadium. Early finals were played in other locations and, due to extensive redevelopment of Wembley, finals between 2001 and 2006 were played at
Millennium StadiumThe Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and the Wales national football team but is also host to many other large scale events, such as Wales Rally Great Britain stage of the World Rally...
in
CardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for many national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales. According to recent estimates, the...
. The final returned to Wembley in May 2007. Early finals venues include
Kennington OvalThe Brit Insurance Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, London. In the past it was also sometimes called the 'Kennington Oval'...
, in 1872 and 1874–92, the
Racecourse GroundThe County Cricket Ground, usually shortened to County Ground and also known as the Racecourse Ground, is a cricket ground in Derby and has been the home of Derbyshire County Cricket Club since at least 1871. As the name implies it originally hosted horse racing.It also held the games of Derby...
, Derby in 1886,
Fallowfield StadiumFallowfield Stadium was an athletics stadium and velodrome in Fallowfield, Manchester, England. It opened in May 1892 as the home of Manchester Athletics Club after it was forced to move from its home next to Old Trafford Cricket Ground...
, Manchester in 1893,
Burnden ParkBurnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football team Bolton Wanderers F.C. between 1895 and 1997.-Location:Situated in the Burnden area of Bolton - approximately one mile from the town centre - the ground served as the home of the town's football team for 102 years...
for the 1901 replay,
Bramall LaneBramall Lane Stadium is the home of Sheffield United Football Club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England and is the oldest major stadium in the world still to be hosting professional football matches...
in 1912, the
Crystal PalaceThe National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics track. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was one...
Park, 1895–1914,
Stamford BridgeStamford Bridge is a football stadium on the border of Fulham and Chelsea, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham that is home to Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green. It is nicknamed "The Bridge" by the club's supporters...
1920–22, and
Lillie BridgeThe Lillie Bridge Grounds was a sports ground in London, England near to present day Stamford Bridge, opened around 1867. The ground started to fall into disuse after the opening of Stamford Bridge and after a riot on September 18, 1887 which destroyed the track and grandstand, finally closed in...
,
FulhamFulham is an area of west London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, located south west of Charing Cross. It is situated in between Putney and Chelsea...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
in 1873. In more recent times the infamous 1970 final replay between Leeds and Chelsea was held at
Old TraffordOld Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in Manchester. This was the only time between 1923 and 2000 that the FA Cup final or the FA Cup Final replay was held at a stadium other than Wembley.
The semi-finals are contested at neutral venues; in the past these have usually been the home grounds of teams not involved in that semi-final. The venues used since 1990 were Manchester City's now demolished
Maine RoadMaine Road was a large football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England. It was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003. It takes its name from the street it was built on which, in itself, had a remarkable history. The street was originally known as Dog Kennel Lane...
stadium; Manchester United's
Old TraffordOld Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
Stadium; Sheffield Wednesday's home stadium
HillsboroughHillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club in Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it...
: Arsenal's former home
HighburyArsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
Stadium (since redeveloped as housing): Wembley Stadium in London: The
Millennium StadiumThe Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and the Wales national football team but is also host to many other large scale events, such as Wales Rally Great Britain stage of the World Rally...
in Cardiff and the home of Aston Villa,
Villa ParkVilla Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, a football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
in
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
. Villa Park is the most used stadium, having been used for 55 semi-finals. The 1991 semi-final between Arsenal and Tottenham was the first to be played at Wembley. Two years later both semi-finals were held at Wembley, which was again used for both matches in 1994 and 2000. In 2005 they were both held at the Millennium Stadium. The decision to hold the semi-finals at the same location as the final can be controversial amongst fans However, starting with the 2008 cup, all semi-finals will be played at Wembley; the stadium was not ready for the 2007 semi-finals. For a list of semi-final results and the venues used, see
FA Cup Semi-finalsThe FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world...
.
Trophies
At the end of the final, the winning team is presented with a trophy, also known as the "FA Cup", which they hold until the following year's final. 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.
The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team; a common riddle asks, "What is always taken to the Cup Final, but never used?" (the answer is "the losing team's ribbons"). However this isn't entirely true, as during the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. Individual members of the teams playing in the final are presented with winners' and runners'-up medals. The present FA Cup trophy is the fourth. The first, the 'little tin idol', was used from the inception of the Cup in 1871–2 until it was stolen from a
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
shoe shop window belonging to William Shillcock while held by
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, who play in the Premier League. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of Football League in 1888...
on 11 September 1895. It was never seen again. The FA fined Villa £25 to pay for a replacement. Almost 60 years later, the thief admitted that the cup had been melted down to make counterfeit half-crowns.
The second trophy was a replica of the first, and was last used in 1910 before being presented to the FA's long-serving president Lord Kinnaird. It was sold at
Christie'sChristie's is a leading art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
on 19 May 2005 for
£The pound sterling , often simply called the pound, is the currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and British Antarctic Territory...
420,000 (£478,400 including auction fees and taxes) to
David GoldDavid Gold in Stepney, East London is an English businessman.-Businesses:Gold owns Gold Group International , the parent company of the retailer Ann Summers, lingerie chain Knickerbox, and owns or formerly owned pornographic magazine company Gold Star, printing and distribution businesses and...
, the chairman of
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham F.C. in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City F.C...
. David Gold has loaned this trophy to the National Football Museum which is housed in Preston North End's Deepdale Stadium and it is on permanent display to the public. A new, larger, trophy was bought by the FA in 1911 designed and manufactured by
Fattorini's of BradfordFattorini & Sons was a jewellery business established by a family of Italian immigrants who arrived in the British city of Leeds, in Yorkshire, England in the early 19th century. Antonio Fattorini opened a shop in Harrogate to take advantage of seasonal trade in Harrogate in 1831, this business is...
and won by
Bradford CityBradford City Association Football Club is an English football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two. The club plays home games at Valley Parade, named the Coral Windows Stadium under sponsorship naming rights...
in its first outing, the only time a team from Bradford has reached the final. This trophy still exists but is now too fragile to be used, so an exact replica was made by
Toye, Kenning and SpencerToye, Kenning & Spencer plc is a British jewellery and clothing manufacturer base in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, Covent Garden, London and Bedworth England. Founded in 1685, the company remains family run by members of the Toye family....
and has been in use since the 1992 final. A "backup" trophy was made alongside the existing trophy in 1992, but it has not been used so far, and will only be used if the current trophy is lost, damaged or destroyed. (An otherwise identical, smaller replica was also made by Fattorini, the North Wales Coast F A Cup trophy, contested annually by members of that regional Association.)
Though the FA Cup is the oldest domestic football competition in the world, its
trophy is not the oldest; that title is claimed by the
Youdan CupThe Youdan Cup was an association football competition played in Sheffield, England. A local theatre owner Thomas Youdan sponsored the competition and provided the trophy...
. The oldest national trophy is the
Scottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish Cup, and as the Active Nation Scottish Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football...
.
Sponsorship
Since the start of the 1994–95 season, the FA Cup has been sponsored. However, to protect the identity of the famous competition, the name has never changed from "The FA Cup", unlike sponsorship deals for the
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
. Instead, the competition has been known as "The FA Cup sponsored by ..." but during 1999–2002, the competition was known as "The AXA Sponsored FA Cup". The competition is formally named "The FA Cup sponsored by
E.ONE.ON UK is an energy company in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of E.ON, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. As Powergen it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but since January 2002 has been owned by E.ON AG.It is a...
", owing to energy company E.ON sponsoring it for four years from 2006. From August 2006 to 2014,
UmbroUmbro is a United Kingdom sportswear and equipment supplier based in Cheadle, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
will supply match balls for all FA Cup matches.
- 1995–1998 Littlewoods
Littlewoods is the name of a former retail and gambling company founded in Liverpool, Merseyside, England by John Moores in 1923.It started as a shopping catalogue company, processing orders by post in the early 1970's. In 1981, it expanded to a call center, processing orders via telephone. At its...
- 1999–2002 AXA
AXA is a French global insurance companies group headquartered in Paris. AXA is not the name of a single company but a group of companies independently organized and operated according to the regulations of many different countries....
- 2003–2006 Nationwide
Nationwide Building Society is a British building society, that is, as of 2009, the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Swindon, England, and maintains a significant administration centre in Northampton. It is the only UK building society to clear its own cheques...
- 2006–2010 E.ON
E.ON AG , an energy corporation based in Düsseldorf, Germany, is one of the 30 members of the DAX stock index of major German companies and a member of the Global Titans 50 index. Its chief executive officer is Dr. Wulf H. Bernotat...
Giant-killers
Aside from the non-top-flight winners mentioned below, the FA Cup has a long tradition of lower-division and non-league teams becoming "giant-killers" by defeating much higher-ranked opponents during earlier rounds. There are various famous giant-killing feats, although it is comparatively rare for a team to beat one more than two divisions above them. The last time a non-league team beat top-flight opposition was
Sutton UnitedSutton United Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They are based in Sutton, London, England, and play their home games at the Borough Sports Ground in Gander Green Lane...
's victory over
Coventry CityCoventry City Football Club , otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are an association football club based in Coventry, England. Coventry City were founding members of the Premier League in 1992....
in
1988–89The 1988-89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough saw 94 people killed and more than 300 injured. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
. Another notable result was in 1969 when in the fifth round
Mansfield TownMansfield Town Football Club are an English football club who from the 2008–09 season have competed in the Conference National. Between 1931 and 2008 they competed in the Football League. Based in the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, the club are nicknamed "The Stags"...
of the
Third DivisionFrom the 1992-93 to the 2003-04 season, the Football League Third Division was the third-highest division of The Football League and the fourth-highest division in the overall English football league system. Before that it was the third division overall, but that ended with the creation of the...
were drawn at home to
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
, who were standing sixth in the
First DivisionThe First Division was the top division of The Football League between 1892 and 1992 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the FA Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Coca Cola Championship.-History:The Football...
and who had three World Cup winners in their side:
Bobby MooreRobert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup....
,
Martin PetersMartin Stanford Peters MBE, is a former football player and member of the victorious England team which won the 1966 World Cup....
and
Geoff HurstSir Geoffrey Charles Hurst MBE is a retired England footballer best remembered for his years with West Ham. He made his mark in World Cup history as the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in the 1966 final for England in their 4–2 win over West...
along with youngsters
Billy BondsWilliam Arthur "Billy" Bonds MBE is a former professional footballer and manager, who is most often associated with West Ham United with whom he spent 27 years as player and manager...
and
Trevor BrookingSir Trevor David Brooking CBE is a football player turned manager, on-air analyst, and administrator....
. The game was postponed five times before it finally went ahead on 26 February 1969, on what turned out to be one of the greatest nights in the club’s history. In front of 21,117 at Field Mill, Mansfield won 3–0 and became only the fourth team in cup history to knock out clubs from five different leagues in the same competition.
Other giant killings include Hereford United shocking Newcastle United in 1972 with one of the most famous goals in the history of the cup coming from the boot of
Ronnie RadfordRonnie Radford is a former English footballer who notably scored a memorable goal in the 1971-72 FA Cup for Hereford United during their famous 2-1 giant-killing of Newcastle United.-Career:...
.
In
1975The following are the football events of the year 1975 throughout the world.- Events :*Copa Libertadores 1975: Won by Independiente after defeating Unión Española on an aggregate score of 2-0....
, Wimbledon became nationally famous during a spectacular FA Cup run. They were the first
non-leagueNon-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
team that century to beat a
First DivisionThe First Division was the top division of The Football League between 1892 and 1992 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the FA Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Coca Cola Championship.-History:The Football...
team at its own ground, when they defeated
Burnley F.C.Burnley Football Club , nicknamed The Clarets, are a professional English football club based in Burnley, Lancashire. They were founder members of The Football League in 1888. The club colours are claret and blue, giving rise to their nickname of The Clarets, and their home ground since 1883 has...
1–0 at
Turf MoorTurf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of English football club Burnley F.C., who have played there since 1883.It is situated on Harry Potts Way in Burnley, and has a capacity of 22,546, all seated...
in the third round. In the fourth round they held the reigning First Division Champions, Leeds United F.C., to a 0–0 draw at
Elland RoadElland Road is an all-seater football stadium situated in the Beeston area of the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Elland Road has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
, with goalkeeper
Dickie GuyDickie Guy is an English former non-league goalkeeper for Wimbledon FC during the sixties and seventies. Today, Guy is the President of AFC Wimbledon, the supporter-owned club which represents Wimbledon.- Playing career :...
saving a penalty from
Peter LorimerPeter Patrick Lorimer was a footballer who formed part of the much-admired and feared Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s....
, before narrowly losing to an own goal in the replay at
Selhurst ParkSelhurst Park is a British football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club, of which Simon Jordan is chairman...
, in front of over 40,000 spectators. Wimbledon went on to win the FA Cup as a
First DivisionThe First Division was the top division of The Football League between 1892 and 1992 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the FA Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Coca Cola Championship.-History:The Football...
side in 1988.
Blyth Spartans' 3–2 win at
Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992-93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Founded in 1863, Stoke is the oldest club in the Premier League, and thought to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts County....
in 1978 saw them progress to the fifth round, where they were beaten by
WrexhamWrexham Association Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid. Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in the UK and are the oldest professional club in Wales...
in front of over 40,000 fans at Newcastle United's
St James' ParkSt James' Park is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club, and the oldest and largest football stadium in the North East of England. It is the seventh largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a football...
. Bristol City's giant killing replay win over Liverpool in 1994 was also notable as being the last game for
Graeme SounessGraeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager. He is perhaps best known as the former captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s, and as a manager notably with Rangers, Liverpool, Benfica, Galatasaray, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle...
.
Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C. are an English football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004-05.Since the 2003-04 season they have played in green and white hoops....
won more games against league opposition than any other non-league team before their promotion. This includes a famous victory over top-flight
SunderlandSunderland Association Football Club are a professional association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, that compete in the Premier League. Since their formation in 1879, they have won six First Division titles—in 1892, 1893, 1895, 1902, 1913, and 1936 Sunderland Association...
on a
sloping pitchHuish Park is a football stadium in Yeovil, Somerset, England home ground of Yeovil Town F.C.. The current stadium is in the suburbs of Yeovil and was built as a replacement for the club's previous ground, The Huish, in 1990.-About the Ground:...
in 1949.
ChasetownChasetown Football Club is an English football club based in the Chasetown area of Burntwood, Staffordshire. The club currently plays in the Southern League Division One Midlands and is nicknamed The Scholars, having been formed by affiliates of nearby Chase Terrace High School in the Chase...
are the lowest ranked team to play in the third round, playing eventual runners-up
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
in the 2007–08 competition. The game took place on 5 January 2008 whilst Chasetown were playing in the Southern League Division One Midlands, the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.
Telford UnitedTelford United F.C. was an English football team based in Telford, Shropshire.The club was first formed in 1872 as Parish Church Institute. They later changed their name and were known as Wellington Town F.C. until 1969. The club born from the ashes of the old Telford United now play in the...
are perhaps one of the most famous FA Cup giantkillers in recent decades, Defeating football league counterparts
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is a professional football team based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. They compete in the Premier League, in which they have been playing since their promotion from the Football League in 2005...
(1982–83),
Stockport CountyStockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, England. They play in League One, the third tier of the English football pyramid. Their home stadium is Edgeley Park...
,
NorthamptonNorthampton Town Football Club is a football club based in Northampton. The nickname of the club is The Cobblers. In the 2008-09 season they played in Football League One, the third level of English football, after promotion in 2005-06, but were relegated to Football League Two on the final day of...
,
RochdaleRochdale Association Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium and are currently managed by Keith Hill...
(all 1983–84),
Lincoln CityLincoln City F.C. is an English football team which play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system.The team play at the 10,127 capacity Sincil Bank in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and are nicknamed the Imps after the legend of the Lincoln Imp. More recently, they have...
,
Preston North EndPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the second tier of English league football, The Championship...
,
Bradford CityBradford City Association Football Club is an English football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two. The club plays home games at Valley Parade, named the Coral Windows Stadium under sponsorship naming rights...
,
DarlingtonDarlington Football Club are an English football team based in the English town of Darlington, which play in League Two. The club's nickname is The Quakers, in reference to the religious movement that had a historic influence on the town. Darlington have remained in the bottom tier of the league...
(all 1984–85),
Stockport CountyStockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, England. They play in League One, the third tier of the English football pyramid. Their home stadium is Edgeley Park...
(1985–86),
BurnleyBurnley Football Club , nicknamed The Clarets, are a professional English football club based in Burnley, Lancashire. They were founder members of The Football League in 1888. The club colours are claret and blue, giving rise to their nickname of The Clarets, and their home ground since 1883 has...
(1986–87),
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Founded in 1863, Stoke is the oldest club in the Premier League, and thought to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts County....
(1991–92). 1984–85 was undoubtedly the club's peak as far as the FA Cup was concerned, the aforementioned victories over Lincoln, Preston and Bradford preceding a tie against
EvertonEverton Football Club are an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool. Having competed in the top division for a record 107 seasons, they have played more top-flight league games than any other English team and have won the League Championship 9 times — the fourth highest...
at
Goodison ParkGoodison Park is a football stadium in Liverpool, England and home ground of Everton F.C. The ground was built in 1892, though it has been greatly developed since, having an all-seated capacity of 40,158....
in the fifth round. Telford eventually lost 3–0 to the side who would go on to win the league, after going in 0–0 at half time, but the crowd of 47,000 (swelled by a travelling contingent of around 13,000 from Telford) has not since been bettered at Goodison and the club's achievement of reaching round five has not since been surpassed by any non-league club to this day. More recently for Telford in 2004 victories against
BrentfordBrentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
and
Crewe AlexandraCrewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's historical links with the rail industry....
led to a run to the fourth round before losing at home to eventual finalists
MillwallMillwall Football Club is an English football team based in Bermondsey in the London Borough ofSouthwark, South East London. They currently play in Football League One. Their traditional strip consists of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. Their current strip is blue shirts, white shorts...
.
FA Cup winners and finalists
Three clubs have won consecutive FA Cups on more than one occasion:
WanderersThe Wanderers Football Club were an amateur football club based in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, and were one of the leading clubs in English football in the 1860s and 1870s. They are most notable for having won the first ever FA Cup final, in 1872, and the competition another...
(1872, 1873 and 1876, 1877, 1878),
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire.The club was established in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888. It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League...
(1884, 1885, 1886 and 1890, 1891), and
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club, , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English professional football club based in Tottenham, North London which currently plays in the Premier League...
(1961, 1962 and 1981, 1982).
Six clubs have won the FA Cup as part of a
League and Cup doubleThe Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
, namely
Preston North EndPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the second tier of English league football, The Championship...
(1889),
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, who play in the Premier League. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of Football League in 1888...
(1897),
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English professional football club based in Tottenham, North London which currently plays in the Premier League...
(1961),
ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
(1971, 1998, 2002),
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
(1986) and
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
(1994, 1996, 1999). Arsenal and Manchester United share the record of three doubles. Arsenal has won a double in each of three separate decades (70s, 90s, 00s). Manchester United's three doubles in the 1990s highlights their dominance of English football at the time.
In 1993, Arsenal became the first side to win both the FA Cup and
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
in the same season, beating
Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional Association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who currently compete in the Football League Championship, in England. Sheffield Wednesday is one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fifth oldest in the...
2–1, in both finals. Liverpool repeated this feat in 2001, as did Chelsea in 2007.
In
1998–99-Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30million which netted Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke,...
, Manchester United added the
1999The 1999 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place on Wednesday, 26 May 1999. The match was played at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, to determine the winner of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League. The final was contested by Manchester United and Bayern Munich...
Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe...
crown to their double, an accomplishment known as the European treble. Two years later, in
2000–01The 2000-01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
, Liverpool won the FA Cup,
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is a competition for eligible European football clubs; the second most prestigious European football contest after the UEFA Champions League. It is an annual football cup competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations...
to complete a cup treble.
Portsmouth have the unusual accolade of holding the FA Cup for the longest unbroken period of time; having won the Cup in 1939, the next final was not contested until 1946, due to the outbreak of the Second World War.
The FA Cup has only been won by a non-English team once in its history.
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
were the club to achieve 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.
Winners from outside the top flight
Since the foundation of the Football League,
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club, , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English professional football club based in Tottenham, North London which currently plays in the Premier League...
in 1901 have been the only non-league winners of the FA Cup. They were then playing in the
Southern LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales....
and were only elected to the Football League in 1908. At that time the Football League consisted of only two 18-team divisions; Tottenham's victory would be comparable to a team playing at the third level of the English football pyramid (currently League One) winning today.
In the history of the FA Cup, only eight teams who were playing outside of the top level of English football have gone on to win the whole competition, the most recent being
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London. They have played their home matches at the Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904....
, who beat
ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
in 1980. Excluding Tottenham in 1901, these clubs were all playing in the old
Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992-93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, no other
Third DivisionFrom the 1992-93 to the 2003-04 season, the Football League Third Division was the third-highest division of The Football League and the fourth-highest division in the overall English football league system. Before that it was the third division overall, but that ended with the creation of the...
or lower side having so far reached the final.
Arguably, one of the most famous of these 'upsets' was when
Sunderland A.F.C.Sunderland Association Football Club are a professional association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, that compete in the Premier League. Since their formation in 1879, they have won six First Division titles—in 1892, 1893, 1895, 1902, 1913, and 1936 Sunderland Association...
beat
Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club , commonly referred to as simply Leeds United, or informally Leeds, are an English professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire...
1–0 in 1973. Leeds were third in the First Division and Sunderland were in the Second. Three years later Second Division
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club are a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. The club were relegated from the Championship in 2009, and play in League One in the 2009–10 season...
also achieved the same feat as Sunderland against First Division
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
by the same 1–0 scoreline. The other non-top flight winners of the FA Cup were Notts County in 1894, the first non-top flight team to win the FA Cup since the inception of the league; Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1908;
BarnsleyBarnsley Football Club is an English football club, based in the South Yorkshire borough of Barnsley, and nicknamed the Tykes. Toby Tyke being their mascot. The club was founded in 1887 as Barnsley St...
in 1912; and
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club , also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or WBA, are an English professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands...
in 1931. West Bromwich Albion remain the only team to have won the FA Cup and promotion from the
second flight- Title match system :In this system, a competitor has to challenge the current champion to win the championship. This form of championship is used in wrestling, boxing, and other combat sports.- Tournament system :...
in the same season.
Thus far the FA Cup final has never been contested by two teams from outside the top flight. Uniquely, in 2007–08, three of the four semi-finalists (
BarnsleyBarnsley Football Club is an English football club, based in the South Yorkshire borough of Barnsley, and nicknamed the Tykes. Toby Tyke being their mascot. The club was founded in 1887 as Barnsley St...
,
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
and
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club , also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or WBA, are an English professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands...
), were from outside the top flight, although
Portsmouth F.C.Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey, sometimes called 'The Blues', with their fans known as 'The Blue Army'. They play in the Premier League...
went on to win it.
Media coverage
The FA Cup Final is one of ten events reserved for live broadcast on UK
terrestrial televisionTerrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which do not involve satellite transmission or via underground cables—typically through the atmosphere from a transmitting antenna....
under the
ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed EventsThe ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed Events is a series of regulations issued by the Independent Television Commission which is designed to protect the availability of live coverage of so-called "listed events" in sport — typically major sporting occasions — on free-to-air services in the...
.
From August 2008 until June 2012, FA Cup matches are shown live by
ITV1ITV1 is the generic brand, that is used by twelve franchises of the ITV Network in England, Wales, the Scottish Borders, the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their eleven...
across
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
, with
UTVUTV is a television channel based in Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 licensee for the Northern Ireland region and is operated by UTV plc, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :...
broadcasting to
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. ITV shows sixteen FA Cup games per season, including first pick live matches from each of the 1st to 6th rounds of the competition plus one semi-final exclusively live. The final is also shown live on ITV1.
Under the same contract,
Setanta SportsSetanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland.Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events to Irish expatriates. The channel operates individual channels in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Africa and...
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 broadcasted ITV's matches exclusively to
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, 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 the FA Cup and England internationals. Currently, no new broadcaster has picked up Setanta's rights.
BBC Radio Five LiveBBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's radio service providing live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
provide radio coverage including several full live commentaries with additional commentaries broadcasted on BBC local radio stations.
Until the 2008–2009 season, the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
and
Sky SportsSky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
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 FA Cup 2008–09 early rounds were being covered for the first time by ITV's online property,
ITV LocalITV Local was a broadband service provided by ITV plc, the contractor and provider of ITV in 11 of the 15 Television Regions. First established in 2005, the website provided local news, weather and features on demand 24 hours a day....
. The first match of the season, between Wantage Town and Brading Town, was broadcast live online. Highlights of eight games of each round were being broadcast as catch up on ITV Local. Since the end of the ITV Local service, it is unknown whether or not this coverage will continue.
The FA sells overseas rights separately from the domestic contract. In Australia, FA Cup games are broadcast by
Setanta Sports AustraliaSetanta Sports Australia is a sports television channel operating in Australia and is available to homes and businesses across all of Australia...
, and the final is also shown on
SBSThe Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
. Meanwhile
Setanta Sports North AmericaSetanta Sports USA is a television channel launched in 2005 by the Irish sports broadcaster Setanta Sports to offer live and tape-delayed mainstream sports events....
and
Fox Soccer ChannelFox Soccer Channel is a United States digital cable network, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. The channel took its current name on February 7, 2005; before then, the network was known as Fox Sports World, launched November 1, 1997...
split the rights in the United States. Supersport broadcasts the tournament in South Africa and Nigeria, and Sony Pix television in India.
External links