The FA Cup
🕐 Last updated: March 2026 · Written by Adrian Dane
🏆 The World’s Oldest Football Competition
The FA Cup: History, Records
& How to Watch on TV
Everything you need to know about the Football Association Challenge Cup — from its 1871 origins to today’s TV listings, all-time records and unforgettable giant-killings.
Crystal Palace are the current FA Cup holders, beating Manchester City 1–0 at Wembley on 17 May 2025. Eberechi Eze scored the only goal — Palace’s first ever major trophy in 154 years of football.
Today’s Fixtures →⚽ What Is the FA Cup?
The FA Cup — officially the Football Association Challenge Cup — is the oldest football competition in the world. First held in the 1871–72 season, it predates the Football League by 17 years and remains, over 150 years later, the most romantic cup competition on the planet.
Organised by the Football Association, the competition is open to every eligible club in England’s football pyramid — from Premier League giants to part-time sides playing in front of a few hundred supporters. In the 2024–25 season, a staggering 745 clubs entered, all dreaming of a day at Wembley in May.
What makes the FA Cup truly special is its knockout format and the possibility of a “giant-killing” — a lower-league side defeating a much bigger club. These upsets are part of the competition’s DNA, and each January when Premier League clubs enter at the third round, the nation holds its breath waiting for the shock results.
📺 How to Watch the FA Cup on TV
In the 2025–26 season, FA Cup broadcasting rights in the UK are split between TNT Sports / Discovery+ and the BBC. This season marks a significant change: ITV has lost its FA Cup rights entirely, while BBC coverage has been reduced to 14 live games across the whole competition.
📋 Round-by-Round Guide
The FA Cup begins with amateur and semi-professional clubs in the summer qualifying rounds, before the main competition — the rounds proper — begins in autumn. Premier League and Championship sides enter at the third round in January, which is when national attention truly focuses on the cup.
| Round | When | Teams Involved | On TV? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Rounds (1–4) | August–October | Non-league & lower-league clubs only | Selected TNT Sports |
| First Round Proper | November | League One, League Two + 32 non-league qualifiers | BBC & TNT Sports |
| Second Round Proper | December | Remaining League One & League Two sides | BBC & TNT Sports |
| Third Round Proper | January | All 20 Premier League + 24 Championship clubs join | BBC & TNT Sports |
| Fourth Round | Late January | 32 surviving clubs | BBC & TNT Sports |
| Fifth Round | February–March | 16 surviving clubs | BBC & TNT Sports |
| Quarter-Finals | March | Last 8 clubs | BBC & TNT Sports |
| Semi-Finals | April | Last 4 clubs — played at Wembley | BBC & TNT Sports |
| 🏆 The Final | May | The last 2 clubs — Wembley Stadium | BBC One (free) |
🥇 Most Successful Teams
Arsenal are the most decorated club in FA Cup history with 14 wins — seven of them masterminded by Arsène Wenger. Crystal Palace became the 45th different club to lift the trophy when they won for the first time in 2025.
| 1 | Arsenal | 14 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 13 |
| 3= | Chelsea | 8 |
| 3= | Liverpool | 8 |
| 3= | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 7 |
| 7 | Manchester City | 7 |
| 8 | Blackburn Rovers | 6 |
| 9 | Newcastle United | 6 |
| 10 | Everton | 5 |
| 2025 | Crystal Palace | 1st title |
| 2024 | Manchester United | 13th |
| 2023 | Manchester City | 7th |
| 2022 | Liverpool | 8th |
| 2021 | Leicester City | 1st title |
| 2020 | Arsenal | 14th |
| 2019 | Manchester City | 6th |
| 2018 | Chelsea | 8th |
| 2017 | Arsenal | 13th |
| 2016 | Manchester United | 12th |
⚽ All-Time Top Scorers
The FA Cup has produced some extraordinary goalscorers across its 150-year history. The all-time record belongs to Harry Cursham of Notts County, who scored an astonishing 49 goals in just 44 appearances during the Victorian era — a record that will almost certainly never be broken. In the modern era, Ian Rush is the benchmark with 44 goals for Liverpool and Newcastle United.
| # | Player | Club(s) | Goals | Apps | Era |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Cursham | Notts County | 49 | 44 | 1870s–80s |
| 2 | Ian Rush | Liverpool, Newcastle | 44 | 75 | 1980s–90s |
| 3 | Denis Law | Man United & others | 43 | — | 1960s–70s |
| 4 | Jimmy Greaves | Tottenham, Chelsea | 42 | 57 | 1960s–70s |
| 5 | Steve Bloomer | Derby County | 39 | — | 1890s–1910s |
| 6 | Alan Shearer | Newcastle United | 27 | 58 | 1990s–2000s |
| 6= | Frank Lampard | Chelsea & others | 27 | 72 | 2000s–2010s |
| 8 | Mark Hughes | Man United, Chelsea | 25 | 69 | 1980s–90s |
📖 History of the FA Cup
The FA Cup was born from a meeting of The Football Association at the Freemasons’ Tavern in London in 1871. FA secretary Charles Alcock proposed the competition, inspired by a house football tournament he had participated in at Harrow School. The first final was played at the Kennington Oval in March 1872, with Wanderers FC defeating Royal Engineers 1–0.
The early decades were dominated by wealthy amateur clubs from the south — Old Etonians, Oxford University, Royal Engineers. The shift to professionalism changed everything. By the 1890s, clubs from the industrial north and Midlands — Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Preston North End — had come to dominate, reflecting the commercial growth of the game.
The famous White Horse Final of 1923 — Bolton Wanderers vs West Ham United at the newly opened Wembley Stadium — saw an estimated 200,000 fans pack the ground, with Police Constable George Scorey and his white horse Billy helping to clear the pitch. Wembley became the permanent home of the final from that point, hosting almost every final since.
The post-war era brought some of the most memorable finals in history: Blackpool’s 4–3 defeat of Bolton in 1953 (the “Matthews Final”), Arsenal’s 3–2 comeback win over Manchester United in 1979, and the remarkable Wimbledon upset over Liverpool in 1988. The competition has always found a way to produce the unexpected.
In recent decades, the FA Cup has faced questions about its prestige as top clubs prioritise European competition. Yet it continues to deliver iconic moments — Wigan Athletic beating Manchester City in 2013, Crystal Palace’s maiden triumph in 2025, and the extraordinary 2025–26 upset where sixth-tier Macclesfield knocked out holders Crystal Palace — the first non-league side to eliminate a reigning champion in over 117 years.
💥 Famous Giant-Killings
No other competition on earth produces upsets quite like the FA Cup. The possibility of a non-league team eliminating a Premier League giant is what makes the third round one of the most anticipated weekends in the English football calendar.
National League North (tier 6) side Macclesfield eliminated Premier League holders Crystal Palace — a gap of 117 league places, the biggest shock in the competition’s modern history.
Championship-relegated Wigan beat Premier League champions Manchester City in the final, with Ben Watson’s last-minute header. Wigan were relegated from the Premier League the same week.
The “Crazy Gang” of Wimbledon defeated the mighty Liverpool side that had won the league that season. Lawrie Sanchez headed home and Dave Beasant saved a penalty — the first in an FA Cup final.
Non-league Hereford’s Ronnie Radford scored one of the most famous goals in FA Cup history to beat First Division Newcastle. Roger Griffiths scored the winner in extra time.
Southern League (tier 8) Chasetown eliminated League One Port Vale — 108 league places apart. At the time, the greatest shock in terms of league placing difference (since beaten by Macclesfield 2025–26).
Non-league Lincoln City became the first non-league side in over 100 years to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, beating Premier League side Burnley along the way.
⭐ Iconic FA Cup Moments
Stanley Matthews finally won the FA Cup at 38, providing a barnstorming second-half display to help Blackpool overturn a 3–1 deficit. Stan Mortensen scored a hat-trick — still one of only two hat-tricks in an FA Cup final in the modern era.
Arsenal led 2–0, United came back to 2–2 in the final minutes — and then Alan Sunderland poked in a winner in injury time to complete one of the most dramatic final finishes in Wembley history.
An estimated 200,000 fans stormed into the newly built Wembley for Bolton vs West Ham. PC George Scorey on his grey horse Billy famously helped clear the pitch. Bolton won 2–0. The crowd figure was recorded as 126,047 but the real number was probably double.
Second Division Sunderland, managed by Bob Stokoe, beat the mighty Don Revie Leeds United in one of the biggest final upsets of the era. Ian Porterfield scored; Jim Montgomery made a miraculous double save to preserve the lead.
The largest margin of victory in an FA Cup final remains Bury’s 6–0 demolition of Derby County in 1903 — a record that has stood for over 120 years and looks set to stand forever.
Eberechi Eze’s cool first-half finish, a Dean Henderson penalty save and a resolute defensive display gave Crystal Palace their first ever major trophy at the 154th attempt. A remarkable day for south London football.
📜 Full List of FA Cup Winners
A complete record of every FA Cup winner from 1872 to the present day. The competition was not held during the First World War (1915–1919) or the Second World War (1940–1945).
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What channel is the FA Cup on in the UK?
In 2025–26, FA Cup games are shown on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC iPlayer (free) and TNT Sports / Discovery+ (subscription). TNT Sports is the main broadcaster, covering all matches from the third round. The BBC shows 14 live games across the season including the final. ITV no longer holds FA Cup rights. Check today’s listings →
Who has won the FA Cup the most?
Arsenal lead the all-time list with 14 wins. Manchester United are second with 13. Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur each have 8 wins.
Who won the FA Cup in 2025?
Crystal Palace won the 2024–25 FA Cup, beating Manchester City 1–0 in the final at Wembley on 17 May 2025. Eberechi Eze scored the only goal. It was Palace’s first major trophy in their history.
Who is the all-time top scorer in the FA Cup?
The overall all-time record is held by Harry Cursham of Notts County with 49 goals, scored in the Victorian era. In the modern era, Ian Rush leads with 44 goals in 75 appearances for Liverpool and Newcastle United.
Is the FA Cup final free to watch?
Yes — the FA Cup final is broadcast free on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer. You do not need a TNT Sports subscription to watch the final.
What is the biggest upset in FA Cup history?
The biggest shock in terms of league placing is Macclesfield 2–1 Crystal Palace in the 2025–26 third round — a National League North (tier 6) side beating Premier League holders, a gap of 117 league places. Previously, the record was Chasetown (tier 8) vs Port Vale (tier 3) in 2007–08 at 108 places.
When is the FA Cup final 2026?
The 2025–26 FA Cup final will be played at Wembley Stadium in May 2026. Exact date to be confirmed. The BBC will broadcast it free to air on BBC One.