How does the FA Cup work? A complete guide to English football's oldest cup

A complete explainer on the FA Cup format, from the early qualifying rounds through to the Wembley final. Covering replays, extra time, giant killings, and why the FA Cup still matters.

The FA Cup has been running since 1871. Every season, over 700 clubs enter it. Most of them have no realistic chance of winning it, but that's not really the point. The point is that they're in the same draw as the clubs that do, and every so often one of the lower-tier sides gives a huge performance that gets everyone talking. Here's how the FA Cup works and what makes it worth following from August through to May.

The FA Cup format from qualifying to the final

The FA cup starts in August with the extra preliminary round, which is where the smallest clubs in the country begin their campaign. From there it runs through a series of qualifying rounds before League One and League Two clubs enter in the first proper round in November. The Championship joins in the second round in December.

Then comes the third round in January. This is when all 20 Premier League clubs enter. It's also when the draw becomes must-watch television, and when the upsets that define the competition tend to happen. From the third round it runs through the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds before the semi-finals at Wembley in April and the final in May.

The beauty of the format is that there's no seeding beyond the entry points. Once you're in the draw, you're in the draw. A non-league side can be paired with a Premier League club from the third round onwards, which is where most of the competition's best stories come from.

What are the rules around replays and extra time?

For most of the FA Cup's history, a draw meant a replay. You go to the opposition’s ground, do it all again, and the winner goes through. For lower league clubs this was pretty significant. A home tie against a top-flight side meant a full ground, real revenue, and another shot at causing a shock upset.

Unfortunately, from the 2024/25 season, replays were scrapped from the third round onwards. Drawn matches now go straight to extra time and then penalties. The bigger clubs had been pushing for this for years, citing fixture congestion. The smaller clubs were less enthusiastic, largely because replay income was meaningful for them. It still remains a sore point for those involved. 

The greatest FA Cup giant killings in history

Wrexham beating Arsenal in 1992 is the one that always comes up first. Arsenal were among the most dominant sides in the country. Wrexham were bottom of the Fourth Division. Mickey Thomas scored a free kick, Steve Watkin added a second, and one of the most replayed results in the competition's history was over and done with. 

There was also the late round banger from Wigan and Manchester City. Wigan beat Manchester City in the 2013 final and showed that these kinds of upset aren't exclusive to the early rounds. To say City were the heavy favourites would be an understatement, but Ben Watson headed in a late winner and it was all over. Wigan were relegated from the Premier League shortly afterwards, which makes it one of the stranger success stories in recent football history.

And then there's Hereford United against Newcastle in 1972. Ronnie Radford, a muddy pitch, and a long-range strike that gets shown every January without fail. If you've never watched it, stop what you're doing and get it on. 

Never miss an upset with Match Bingo

The FA Cup produces moments that the league simply can't replicate. One match, one result, and a club nobody had heard of a week ago is suddenly all anyone is talking about. That's what makes it worth following from the first qualifying round all the way to Wembley.

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