The FA Cup made its debut 153 years ago – in 1871. The real name of this competition is the Football Association Challenge Cup, but we call it the FA Cup. The Winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa League and obtains an opportunity to fight for the FA Community Shield.
Arsenal is the most successful club and lifted the trophy 14 times. Their last triumph was in the 2019-20 season when they defeated Chelsea 2-1 in the final. Arsenal’s historical manager from France, Arsène Wenger, is the most successful coach in history, having succeeded on seven occasions. Manchester City are the current titleholders, as they won their seventh title last year when they defeated their main rivals – United.
FA Cup – Remaining Teams
Only eight teams are still alive in this year’s FA Cup competition. The quarterfinal pairs are these:
• Quarter-final – Wolves vs Coventry – 16th of March
• Quarter-final – Manchester City vs Newcastle – 16th of March
• Quarter-final – Chelsea vs Leicester City – 17th of March
• Quarter-final – Manchester United vs Liverpool – 17th of March
• Semi-final – 20th of April
• Final – 25th of May
Even though the FA Cup does not attract as many football fans as the Premier League – many believe the FA Cup is the most prestigious trophy in the British Isles. The competition consists of six previous qualifying stages, six playoff rounds, semi-finals and the final. Premier League and Championship teams only join the competition in the third round.
FA Cup – Historical Winners
You will have a chance to know the champion of every single edition, the date of the final, the second-placed team, and the final score.
| Season | Winner | Runners-up | Final Score |
| 1871–1872 | Wanderers | Royal Engineers | 1:0 |
| 1872–1873 | Wanderers | Oxford University | 2:0 |
| 1873–1874 | Oxford University | Royal Engineers | 2:0 |
| 1874–1875 | Royal Engineers | Old Etonians | 1:1 – 2:0 |
| 1875–1876 | Wanderers | Old Etonians | 1:1 – 3:0 |
| 1876–1877 | Wanderers | Oxford University | 2:1 |
| 1877–1878 | Wanderers | Royal Engineers | 3:1 |
| 1878–1879 | Old Etonians | Clapham Rovers | 1:0 |
| 1879–1880 | Clapham Rovers | Oxford University | 1:0 |
| 1880–1881 | Old Carthusians | Old Etonians | 3:0 |
| 1881–1882 | Old Etonians | Blackburn Rovers | 1:0 |
| 1882–1883 | Blackburn Olympic | Old Etonians | 2:1 |
| 1883–1884 | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park | 2:1 |
| 1884–1885 | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park | 2:0 |
| 1885–1886 | Blackburn Rovers | West Bromwich Albion | 0:0 – 2:0 |
| 1886–1887 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion | 2:0 |
| 1887–1888 | West Bromwich Albion | Preston North End | 2:1 |
| 1888–1889 | Preston North End | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3:0 |
| 1889–1890 | Blackburn Rovers | The Wednesday | 6:1 |
| 1890–1891 | Blackburn Rovers | Notts County | 3:1 |
| 1891–1892 | West Bromwich Albion | Aston Villa | 3:0 |
| 1892–1893 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Everton | 1:0 |
| 1893–1894 | Notts County | Bolton Wanderers | 4:1 |
| 1894–1895 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion | 1:0 |
| 1895–1896 | The Wednesday | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2:1 |
| 1896–1897 | Aston Villa | Everton | 3:2 |
| 1897–1898 | Nottingham Forest | Derby County | 3:1 |
| 1898–1899 | Sheffield United | Derby County | 4:1 |
| 1899–1900 | Bury | Southampton | 4:0 |
| 1900–1901 | Tottenham Hotspur | Sheffield United | 2:2 – 3:1 |
| 1901–1902 | Sheffield United | Southampton | 1:1 – 2:1 |
| 1902–1903 | Bury | Derby County | 6:0 |
| 1903–1904 | Manchester City | Bolton Wanderers | 1:0 |
| 1904–1905 | Aston Villa | Newcastle United | 2:0 |
| 1905–1906 | Everton | Newcastle United | 1:0 |
| 1906–1907 | The Wednesday | Everton | 2:1 |
| 1907–1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Newcastle United | 3:1 |
| 1908–1909 | Manchester United | Bristol City | 1:0 |
| 1909–1910 | Newcastle United | Barnsley | 1:1 – 2:0 |
| 1910–1911 | Bradford City | Newcastle United | 0:0 – 1:0 |
| 1911–1912 | Barnsley | West Bromwich Albion | 0:0 – 1:0 |
| 1912–1913 | Aston Villa | Sunderland | 1:0 |
| 1913–1914 | Burnley | Liverpool | 1:0 |
| 1914–1915 | Sheffield United | Chelsea | 3:0 |
| 1915–1919 | Temporarily stopped because of war | – | – |
| 1919–1920 | Aston Villa | Huddersfield Town | 1:0 |
| 1920–1921 | Tottenham Hotspur | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1:0 |
| 1921–1922 | Huddersfield Town | Preston North End | 1:0 |
| 1922–1923 | Bolton Wanderers | West Ham United | 2:0 |
| 1923–1924 | Newcastle United | Aston Villa | 2:0 |
| 1924–1925 | Sheffield United | Cardiff City | 1:0 |
| 1925–1926 | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester City | 1:0 |
| 1926–1927 | Cardiff City | Arsenal | 1:0 |
| 1927–1928 | Blackburn Rovers | Huddersfield Town | 3:1 |
| 1928–1929 | Bolton Wanderers | Portsmouth | 2:0 |
| 1929–1930 | Arsenal | Huddersfield Town | 2:0 |
| 1930–1931 | West Bromwich Albion | Birmingham | 2:1 |
| 1931–1932 | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 2:1 |
| 1932–1933 | Everton | Manchester City | 3:0 |
| 1933–1934 | Manchester City | Portsmouth | 2:1 |
| 1934–1935 | Sheffield Wednesday | West Bromwich Albion | 4:2 |
| 1935–1936 | Arsenal | Sheffield United | 1:0 |
| 1936–1937 | Sunderland | Preston North End | 3:1 |
| 1937–1938 | Preston North End | Huddersfield Town | 1:0 |
| 1938–1939 | Portsmouth | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4:1 |
| 1939–1945 | Temporarily stopped because of war | – | – |
| 1945–1946 | Derby County | Charlton Athletic | 4:1 |
| 1946–1947 | Charlton Athletic | Burnley | 1:0 |
| 1947–1948 | Manchester United | Blackpool | 4:2 |
| 1948–1949 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Leicester City | 3:1 |
| 1949–1950 | Arsenal | Liverpool | 2:0 |
| 1950–1951 | Newcastle United | Blackpool | 2:0 |
| 1951–1952 | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 1:0 |
| 1952–1953 | Blackpool | Bolton Wanderers | 4:3 |
| 1953–1954 | West Bromwich Albion | Preston North End | 3:2 |
| 1954–1955 | Newcastle United | Manchester City | 3:1 |
| 1955–1956 | Manchester City | Birmingham City | 3:1 |
| 1956–1957 | Aston Villa | Manchester United | 2:1 |
| 1957–1958 | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester United | 2:0 |
| 1958–1959 | Nottingham Forest | Luton Town | 2:1 |
| 1959–1960 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Blackburn Rovers | 3:0 |
| 1960–1961 | Tottenham Hotspur | Leicester City | 2:0 |
| 1961–1962 | Tottenham Hotspur | Burnley | 3:1 |
| 1962–1963 | Manchester United | Leicester City | 3:1 |
| 1963–1964 | West Ham United | Preston North End | 3:2 |
| 1964–1965 | Liverpool | Leeds United | 2:1 |
| 1965–1966 | Everton | Sheffield Wednesday | 3:2 |
| 1966–1967 | Tottenham Hotspur | Chelsea | 2:1 |
| 1967–1968 | West Bromwich Albion | Everton | 1:0 |
| 1968–1969 | Manchester City | Leicester City | 1:0 |
| 1969–1970 | Chelsea | Leeds United | 2:2 – 2:1 |
| 1970–1971 | Arsenal | Liverpool | 2:1 |
| 1971–1972 | Leeds United | Arsenal | 1:0 |
| 1972–1973 | Sunderland | Leeds United | 1:0 |
| 1973–1974 | Liverpool | Newcastle United | 3:0 |
| 1974–1975 | West Ham United | Fulham | 2:0 |
| 1975–1976 | Southampton | Manchester United | 1:0 |
| 1976–1977 | Manchester United | Liverpool | 2:1 |
| 1977–1978 | Ipswich Town | Arsenal | 1:0 |
| 1978–1979 | Arsenal | Manchester United | 3:2 |
| 1979–1980 | West Ham United | Arsenal | 1:0 |
| 1980–1981 | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester City | 1:1 – 3:2 |
| 1981–1982 | Tottenham Hotspur | Queens Park Rangers | 1:1 – 1:0 |
| 1982–1983 | Manchester United | Brighton | 2:2 – 4:0 |
| 1983–1984 | Everton | Watford | 2:0 |
| 1984–1985 | Manchester United | Everton | 1:0 |
| 1985–1986 | Liverpool | Everton | 3:1 |
| 1986–1987 | Coventry City | Tottenham Hotspur | 3:2 |
| 1987–1988 | Wimbledon | Liverpool | 1:0 |
| 1988–1989 | Liverpool | Everton | 3:2 |
| 1989–1990 | Manchester United | Crystal Palace | 3:3 – 1:0 |
| 1990–1991 | Tottenham Hotspur | Nottingham Forest | 2:1 |
| 1991–1992 | Liverpool | Sunderland | 2:0 |
| 1992–1993 | Arsenal | Sheffield Wednesday | 1:1 – 2:1 |
| 1993–1994 | Manchester United | Chelsea | 4:0 |
| 1994–1995 | Everton | Manchester United | 1:0 |
| 1995–1996 | Manchester United | Liverpool | 1:0 |
| 1996–1997 | Chelsea | Middlesbrough | 2:0 |
| 1997–1998 | Arsenal | Newcastle United | 2:0 |
| 1998–1999 | Manchester United | Newcastle United | 2:0 |
| 1999–2000 | Chelsea | Aston Villa | 1:0 |
| 2000–2001 | Liverpool | Arsenal | 2:1 |
| 2001–2002 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2:0 |
| 2002–2003 | Arsenal | Southampton | 1:0 |
| 2003–2004 | Manchester United | Millwall | 3:0 |
| 2004–2005 | Arsenal | Manchester United | 0:0 (5:4 on pen) |
| 2005–2006 | Liverpool | West Ham United | 3:3 (3:1 on pen) |
| 2006–2007 | Chelsea | Manchester United | 1:0 |
| 2007–2008 | Portsmouth | Cardiff City | 1:0 |
| 2008–2009 | Chelsea | Everton | 2:1 |
| 2009–2010 | Chelsea | Portsmouth | 1:0 |
| 2010–2011 | Manchester City | Stoke City | 1:0 |
| 2011–2012 | Chelsea | Liverpool | 2:1 |
| 2012–2013 | Wigan Athletic | Manchester City | 1:0 |
| 2013–2014 | Arsenal | Hull City | 3:2 |
| 2014–2015 | Arsenal | Aston Villa | 4:0 |
| 2015–2016 | Manchester United | Crystal Palace | 2:1 |
| 2016–2017 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2:1 |
| 2017–2018 | Chelsea | Manchester United | 1:0 |
| 2018–2019 | Manchester City | Watford | 6:0 |
| 2019–2020 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2:1 |
| 2020–2021 | Leicester City | Chelsea | 1:0 |
| 2021–2022 | Liverpool | Chelsea | 0:0 (6–5 on pen) |
| 2022–2023 | Manchester City | Manchester United | 2:1 |
| 2023-2024 | ? | ? | ? |
FA Cup – Facts
Throughout the years and more than 150 editions, there have been a lot of surprises and curiosities. The FA Cup has a rich past, so let us review some of the craziest and most unheard facts.
Facts – Nr. 1
Tottenham side is the first non-professional side to win the title. They achieved it in 1901.
Facts – Nr. 2
The path to glory was hard when the replay rule still existed. Both teams played each other until one squad finally grabbed the win. It happened several times, but Fulham is the team to remember. In the 1974-75 season, they competed in six FA Cup rounds and played 12 games.
No one has ever taken part in more FA Cup games. The situation is different now because there can only be one replay. However, replays cannot occur in the semi-finals and FA Cup final.
Facts – Nr. 3
In the last 30 years of the FA Cup, four English teams have dominated the most. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea won the last 23 FA Cup tournaments. The other five teams to win the title throughout this period are:
• Manchester City – 2010-11, 2018-19, 2022-23
• Leicester City – 2020-21
• Wigan Athletic – 2012-13
• Portsmouth – 2007-08
• Everton – 1994-95
Facts – Nr. 4
The only non-English side to call themselves the champions is Cardiff City. They achieved that almost 100 years ago – in 1927. Furthermore, the non-English teams played five times in the final:
• Queen’s Park – Scotland – 1883-84, 1884-85
• Cardiff City – Wales – 1924-25, 1926-27, 2007-08
Facts – Nr. 5
There were only three penalty shootouts in FA Cup history:
• 2004–05 – Arsenal vs Manchester United – 0:0 (5:4 on pen)
• 2005–06 – Liverpool vs West Ham United – 3:3 (3:1 on pen)
• 2021–22: Liverpool vs Chelsea – 0:0 (6–5 on pen)
FA Cup – All-Time Winners
Many teams won the most prestigious trophy in English football, but these teams have prevailed more than anybody else has:
• Arsenal – 14 titles – 21 appearances in the final
• Manchester United – 12 titles – 21 appearances in the final
• Chelsea – 8 titles – 16 appearances in the final
• Liverpool – 8 titles – 15 appearances in the final
• Tottenham – 8 tiles – 9 appearances in the final
• Manchester City – 7 titles – 12 appearances in the final
• Aston Villa – 7 titles – 11 appearances in the final
• Newcastle – 6 titles – 13 appearances in the final
• Blackburn Rovers – 6 titles – 8 appearances in the final
FA Cup – Prediction
As mentioned, only eight teams still fight and keep their dreams alive. Nevertheless, these are the odds:
• Manchester City – 2.40
• Liverpool – 4.00
• Chelsea – 7.00
• Manchester United – 9.00
• Newcastle – 11.00
• Wolves – 13.00
• Leicester City – 21.00
• Coventry – 40.00