The FA Cup, or the Football Association Challenge Cup, is one of the most prestigious football competitions in England. It involves teams from multiple levels in the English football league system, from the Premier League down to amateur and semi-professional levels. The FA Cup is organized by the Football Association and has been held annually since 1871-72. But just how many rounds are there in this historic tournament before a winner is crowned at Wembley Stadium?
The Early Rounds
The FA Cup begins with the Extra Preliminary Round, which takes place in August. This round involves the lowest ranked teams, typically from levels 9-10 of the English football league system. This includes amateur and semi-professional teams. There are 160 teams competing in this initial round.
The next round is the Preliminary Round, also held in August. There are 232 teams competing at this stage, made up of winners from the Extra Preliminary Round and some additional clubs entering at this stage.
After this comes the First Round Qualifying, held in September. There are 160 teams left at this point. The Second Round Qualifying is next, narrowing the field to 116 teams in September.
The Third Round Qualifying occurs in October with 80 teams remaining. The Fourth Round Qualifying is then held in October as well, bringing the number of teams down to 40.
So in total, there are 5 rounds of qualifying in the early stages of the FA Cup, eliminating hundreds of lower league and amateur teams and identifying the top 40 clubs to advance.
The Main Rounds
After the qualifying rounds are complete, it is time for the main portion of the FA Cup to begin.
The First Round Proper is held in November. This stage sees the entrance of the 48 teams from League One (third tier) and League Two (fourth tier) in English football. Along with the 40 winners from the qualifying rounds, there are 64 teams competing at this stage.
The Second Round Proper occurs in December, narrowing the field to 32 teams. Clubs from the Championship (second tier) enter the FA Cup here.
January brings two more rounds. The Third Round Proper involves 64 teams, with the entrance of the 20 Premier League teams and 24 Championship teams. This is the furthest round that amateur and semi-professional teams ever reach.
The Fourth Round Proper reduces the number of competitors to 32. There is then a brief break in February for other league competitions.
In late February and early March, the FA Cup resumes with the Fifth Round Proper. Only 16 teams remain at this stage. March also sees the Quarter-Finals (8 teams left) and Semi-Finals (4 teams) played.
So in the main portion of the FA Cup, there are 6 rounds leading up to the final at Wembley.
The Final
The FA Cup Final is held in May at Wembley Stadium in London. It is one of the most prestigious dates in the English football calendar. After 8 months, 736 teams, and 13 rounds of competition, the FA Cup winner is crowned.
Total FA Cup Rounds
Adding up the qualifying, main, and final rounds, there are a total of 13 rounds in the FA Cup:
- Extra Preliminary Round
- Preliminary Round
- First Round Qualifying
- Second Round Qualifying
- Third Round Qualifying
- Fourth Round Qualifying
- First Round Proper
- Second Round Proper
- Third Round Proper
- Fourth Round Proper
- Fifth Round Proper
- Quarter-Finals
- Semi-Finals
- Final
So in answer to the question “How many rounds are there in the FA Cup?”, the total comes to 13 rounds from start to finish.
Key Facts on FA Cup Rounds
- There are 5 rounds of qualifying to determine which 40 lower league and amateur teams advance.
- The main portion of the FA Cup consists of 6 rounds, including the entrance of professional clubs.
- 736 teams compete in total over 13 rounds until a winner is determined.
- The Final is held at Wembley Stadium in May.
When Top Teams Enter the FA Cup
One interesting aspect of the FA Cup is seeing when teams from the higher levels of English football enter the competition:
| Round | Teams Entering |
|---|---|
| Second Round Proper | Championship teams |
| Third Round Proper | Premier League teams |
Premier League sides, which are among the best teams in England and Europe, don’t enter until the Third Round Proper in early January. This is considered the “true” start of the FA Cup for many fans, as the biggest clubs finally join the tournament at that stage.
Most FA Cup Wins
With over 140 years of history, some teams have had tremendous success in the FA Cup over the years. Here are the clubs with the most FA Cup titles:
| Club | FA Cup Wins |
|---|---|
| Arsenal | 14 |
| Manchester United | 12 |
| Chelsea | 8 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 8 |
| Liverpool | 7 |
Arsenal holds the record for most FA Cup wins with 14. Manchester United has won 12 times, while Chelsea, Tottenham, and Liverpool each have won 7 or 8 titles. Other clubs with multiple FA Cup championships include Aston Villa (7), Newcastle (6), and Everton and Manchester City with 5 apiece.
Most FA Cup Final Appearances
Reaching the FA Cup Final is an accomplishment in itself. Here are the clubs with the most final appearances:
| Club | FA Cup Final Appearances |
|---|---|
| Arsenal | 21 |
| Manchester United | 20 |
| Chelsea | 15 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 14 |
| Everton | 14 |
| Liverpool | 14 |
| Aston Villa | 12 |
Arsenal and Manchester United lead the way with 21 and 20 FA Cup Final appearances respectively. Fellow big clubs Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, and Liverpool have reached 14 or 15 finals. Aston Villa has made 12 final appearances while Newcastle and Manchester City have 10 apiece.
Oldest and Youngest FA Cup Winners
Teams of all ages have lifted the prestigious FA Cup trophy over the years. Here are some notable winners in terms of age:
- Oldest Winner: Portsmouth in 2008 at 116 years old
- Youngest Winner: Nottingham Forest in 1898 at just 4 years old
- Most Recent Older Winner: Wigan Athletic in 2013 at 81 years old
- Most Recent Younger Winner: Southampton in 1976 at 31 years old
Portsmouth holds the distinction of being the oldest ever winner, lifting the cup as a 116 year old club back in 2008. On the other end of the spectrum, a very young Nottingham Forest team won it all in 1898 at just 4 years old.
In recent times, Wigan pulled off an upset to win in 2013 at 81 years of age. Southampton were the last younger winner, taking home the trophy as a 31 year old club back in 1976.
Biggest FA Cup Upsets
While top Premier League teams often dominate the late stages of the tournament, the FA Cup sees its share of upsets by lower division sides as well. Here are some of the biggest underdog stories:
- 1995-96: Manchester United beaten 1-0 by Chester City (third tier)
- 1969-70: Leeds United beaten 2-1 by Colchester United (fourth tier)
- 1952-53: Newcastle United beaten 1-0 by Third Division South side Bournemouth
- 2001-02: Liverpool beaten 2-1 by Fourth Division’s Bristol City
- 1972-73: Leeds beaten 3-2 by Fifth Division’s Doncaster Rovers
These results demonstrate the magic of the FA Cup, where any team can beat any other on their day. Underdog teams from lower tiers have felled some of the biggest clubs in England over the years.
Longest FA Cup Winning Streaks
Some clubs have managed to dominate the FA Cup for stretches of multiple years. Here are the longest FA Cup winning streaks:
| Club | Years |
|---|---|
| Wanderers | 5 (1872-1876) |
| Blackburn Rovers | 3 (1884-1886) |
| Blackburn Rovers | 3 (1890-1891, 1893) |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 3 (1960-1962) |
| Arsenal | 2 (2002-2003) |
The record for consecutive FA Cup wins is held by Wanderers, who won 5 straight titles from 1872 to 1876 in the very early days of the tournament. In the modern era, only three teams have managed to win three straight FA Cups: Blackburn Rovers (twice) and Tottenham Hotspur.
Longest Gap Between FA Cup Wins
While some clubs have won the FA Cup in multiple straight seasons, others have had to wait many years between victories. Here are some of the longest gaps between FA Cup wins:
- Tottenham Hotspur: 99 years (1901 to 1991)
- Liverpool: 65 years (1965 to 2006)
- Everton: 51 years (1933 to 1984)
- Nottingham Forest: 43 years (1959 to 1991)
- West Bromwich Albion: 39 years (1931 to 1949, 1968)
Tottenham Hotspur hold the record, needing to wait an incredible 99 years between FA Cup titles in 1901 and 1991. Liverpool went 65 years between wins in 1965 and 2006. Everton and Nottingham Forest also went more than 40 years between victories.
FA Cup Broadcast Rights
Today, the FA Cup is broadcast around the world. Domestic broadcast rights in the UK are shared between BBC Sport and BT Sport through the 2024-25 season, with the BBC airing the final. Many matches are also shown internationally.
This was not always the case though. Here are some key moments in the history of FA Cup broadcast rights:
- 1927: Final is first broadcast by BBC radio
- 1938: Final is first televised
- 1956: BBC gains television rights through 20th century
- 2008: Setanta and ITV win joint rights
- 2018: BBC and BT Sport become joint UK broadcasters
The FA Cup became a radio event in 1927 and first appeared on television in 1938. The BBC held exclusive TV rights for many decades before rival broadcasters became involved in recent times.
Most Watched FA Cup Finals
The FA Cup Final is traditionally one of the biggest television events on the British sporting calendar. Here are some of the most watched finals in history:
| Year | Viewers (Millions) |
|---|---|
| 1966 | 32.3 |
| 1953 | 28.0 |
| 1987 | 27.6 |
| 1966 | 26.6 |
| 1995 | 26.1 |
The 1966 final, when England defeated West Germany to win its first and only World Cup, drew over 32 million viewers, still the record for an FA Cup final. The 1953 final between Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers drew 28 million. More recently, the 1987 and 1995 finals drew over 26 million each.
Conclusion
The FA Cup is a historic tournament with an illustrious past spanning over 140 years. It involves 736 teams competing in 13 rounds across multiple levels of English football. Amateur and semi-professional sides start out, eventually giving way to the professionals in the later rounds.
Top clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, and others have accumulated many titles. Giant-killings have also occurred when lower league teams knock off the big boys. The FA Cup captures the drama and unpredictability of football each year, culminating in the final at Wembley.
From its radio broadcast debut in 1927 to the multimillion viewer modern television finals, the FA Cup continues to captivate football fans both in England and globally after all these years. The long history and tradition behind the tournament, combined with the possibility of underdog stories and excitement of the one-off cup ties, ensure the magic of the FA Cup lives on.