From the chilly north to the sunny south, England is about to unfold the football craze! Across the bustling cities to the quaintest villages, football enthusiasts are about to witness a battle royale for the oldest football competition in the world. Yes, the most everlasting event, the 2024-25 FA Cup, is back to show intense drama, upsets, and rising stars. The anticipation is palpable, and the excitement is building as we approach the kick-off. Every year, the competition will come up and go, but on the ground, the players’ tears, sweat, and blood will explain how important this place was for their career and to make their nation proud. It is not winning or losing; it is entirely focused on who you are and how you are worthy of standing in this position. This unity and pride make the 2024- 25 FA Cup a memorable one in the history of the FA Cup, with promise of action.
This 2024-25 FA Cup is the 144th season of the Football Association Challenge Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world. Emirates sponsored this event, also known as the Emirates FA Cup. In addition, it is one of the leading domestic competitions for men’s football teams in England. The 2024-25 FA Cup qualifying round will begin on August 3, 2024, and the proper tournament will start on November 2, 2024, and on May 17, 2025, the final game will be played at Wembley Stadium, London. In the 2024–25 FA Cup, 745 teams will initially compete. Six hundred fifty-three teams battle it in the qualifying rounds, while the main competition features 124 teams, including the 32 qualifiers.
As we delve deeper into some FA Cup facts, it’s interesting to note that 43 different teams have won the competition, with Arsenal holding the record for the most titles at 14. The FA Cup trophy is uniquely branded with the winning team’s colors. On the final day, the competing teams battle it out on the field. Once the final whistle blows, the branding of the losing team is removed, and the champions’ ribbons are added to both ends of the trophy. In the 2024 final, Manchester United emerged as the victors with a surprise 2-1 win over arch-rivals Manchester City, marking them as the defending champions heading into the 2024/25 campaign. It remains to be seen if they can secure back-to-back FA Cup triumphs in the upcoming season.
Tournament Format and Entrants
The FA Cup is an exciting knockout competition involving 124 teams, starting from the proper first round. The thrilling journey will culminate in the final at Wembley Stadium on May 25, 2024. The competition features 92 teams from the Football League system, including 20 from the Premier League and 72 from the EFL Championship, EFL League One, and EFL League Two. Additionally, 32 teams from the National League System will join in the qualifying rounds. This year, there’s a total of 745 entrants, marking a rise of 13 from the previous season.
2024-25 FA Cup Schedule and Round Dates
Round | Date |
Extra Preliminary Round | August 3, 2024 |
Preliminary Round | August 17, 2024 |
First Round Qualifying | August 31, 2024 |
Second Round Qualifying | September 14, 2024 |
Third Round Qualifying | September 28, 2024 |
Fourth Round Qualifying | October 12, 2024 |
First Round Proper | November 2, 2024 |
Second Round | November 30, 2024 |
Third Round | January 11, 2025 |
Fourth Round | February 8, 2025 |
Fifth Round (Round of 16) | March 1, 2025 |
Quarterfinal | March 29, 2025 |
Semifinal | April 26, 2025 |
Final | May 17, 2025 |
Qualifying
To qualify for the first round, teams not affiliated with either the English Premier League or English Football League must be eligible through a qualifying round. The qualifiers will begin on August 3, 2024, for six rounds.
Round
| Main Date
| Prize fund | |
|
| Losing club | Winning club |
Extra preliminary round | 3 August 2024 | £375 | £1,125 |
Preliminary round | 17 August 2024 | £481 | £1,444 |
First qualifying round | 31 August 2024 | £750 | £2,250 |
Second qualifying round | 14 September 2024 | £1,125 | £3,375 |
Third qualifying round | 28 September 2024 | £1,875 | £5,625 |
Fourth qualifying round | 12 October 2024 | £3,125 | £9,375 |
Rule changes
The key changes to the 2024-25 FA Cup format are that replays have been eliminated from the first round onwards, and ties must now be decided on the day through extra time or penalties if necessary. Additionally, for the first time in the competition’s history, the fourth and fifth rounds and the quarter-finals will be played on weekends exclusive of Premier League fixtures. Due to expanded UEFA competitions, the Football Association and the Premier League made the changes as part of a six-year agreement.
Where tox Watch the 2024-25 FA Cup?
The 2024-25 FA Cup matches will be broadcast live on BBC and ITV in the UK, allowing fans to catch all the action from the comfort of their homes.
International viewers can tune in via various sports networks, with ESPN covering the event in the United States.
The 2024-25 FA Cup will be broadcast in India on Sony Sports TEN 2 and Sony Sports TEN 3 channels.
Predictions
Stockport County F.C. vs. Forest Green Rovers F.C.
On November 2, 2024, Stockport County and Forest Green Rovers will kick off their first-round competition in the FA Cup meeting at Edgeley Park (Stockport).
Additional Contests
- Stockport County: 10th in Football League One
- Forest Green Rovers: 2nd in National League
With their outstanding performance in the league matches, Stockport County directly qualify for the first round of the FA Cup competition. The Forest Green Rovers faced Weymouth in the qualification final with a score of 2-0. Liam Sercombe and Christian Doidge contributed to each goal, which led the team to qualify for this first round. In the overall competition, Stockport County has mixed results in League One, and in a total of 13 games completed so far, they won five, drew six, and lost two matches. Offensively, Stockport County is showing a promising performance by scoring 16 goals in their League One campaign, averaging 1.33 goals per game. In defense, they conceded only 11 goals, an average of 0.92 per game.
However, their home games give them more hope of victory than away games. In contrast, Forest Green Rovers is doing great in the National League with a record of ten wins, four draws, and two losses, which made them stand in the second position of the league. They marked 19 goals in their National League campaign, averaging 1.19 per game and conceding only 12 goals in the same period, translating to an average of 0.94 goals per game. Concerning their recent form and home advantage, Stockport County will win this game.
Northampton Town F.C. vs. Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town will travel to Sixfields Stadium (Northampton) on November 2, 2024, to face Northampton Town in the first round of the FA Cup.
Additional Contests
- Northampton Town: 18th in Football League One
- Kettering Town: 1st in the Non-League Premier
Northampton automatically qualifies for the FA Cup. Kettering Town had to progress through the qualifying round because of the non-league club to secure their first place in the first round. During the previous encounter, Northampton suffered a defeat against Lincoln in League One with a score of 2-1. Despite the season’s strong start, Tarique Fosu scored the first goal and took the early lead, but unfortunately, the opponent team’s strong performance ended in defeat. They are in 18th place with a record of four wins, three draws, and six losses.
Meanwhile, Kettering Town defeated Farsley in the qualifying round with a score of 1-2. Thanks to Wesley York and Isiah Noel Williams, who are the main reasons for qualifying in the first round. In the Southern League Premier Central, they won their third consecutive victory against Stourbridge with a score of 2-0. Over to their standing, Kettering is standing in the first non-league premier with a record of eight wins, two draws, and two losses. This upcoming match will be their first football meeting, a historic event that adds an extra layer of intensity and excitement for the fans to watch. Considering their recent performance, offense, and solid defense, Kettering Town will have a higher chance of winning the game.
