43 Fun Facts About FA Cup

Who proposed the creation of a Challenge Cup at the offices of The Sportsman newspaper in July 1871?

C. W. Alcock then captained his club in the first final, where a goal he scored was disallowed because a teammate had handled the ball.

Who won the first FA Cup final in 1872?

Wanderers won the first Cup after winning just one match before the final: two opponents withdrew, and a goalless quarter-final sent both sides through.

Where was the first FA Cup final played?

Kennington Oval was a natural choice: it was home to Surrey County Cricket Club, whose secretary from 1872 was also the FA's secretary.

Which Manchester City goalkeeper played the last 17 minutes of the 1956 FA Cup final with a broken neck?

Bert Trautmann, a former German paratrooper and prisoner of war, kept making saves to protect a 3–1 lead; an X-ray three days later showed his neck was broken.

Which club had won the FA Cup a record fourteen times by 2026?

Arsenal won their fourteenth in August 2020, after the coronavirus outbreak had suspended the competition and pushed the final back.

Which manager has won the FA Cup a record seven times?

Arsène Wenger's team came from two goals down to beat Hull City in the 2014 final, ending a nine-year wait for a trophy.

Which full-back has won the FA Cup a record seven times, with two London clubs?

Ashley Cole won four of them at Chelsea, a move preceded by a 2005 fine for a tapping-up meeting with the club.

Who has scored the most goals in FA Cup finals, with five?

Ian Rush came off the bench in the 1989 final and scored twice in extra time to beat Everton 3–2.

Which club, soon nicknamed 'The Invincibles', beat Hyde 26–0 in 1887 for the FA Cup's record win?

Preston North End lost that season's final 2–1 to West Bromwich Albion, then won the first Football League without losing a match.

Which club, expelled from the Football League in 2019, still shares the FA Cup final record win, 6–0 in 1903?

Bury were expelled in August 2019, after longstanding debts left them unable to start the season and a last-minute takeover bid collapsed.

Which Victorian amateur, later FA president for 33 years, played in a record nine FA Cup finals?

Arthur Kinnaird meant so much to the Cup that when a new trophy was made in 1911, the FA gave him the old one to keep.

Blackburn Olympic's 1883 win was a turning point because they were the first winners of what kind?

Blackburn Olympic, a northern, working-class club, prepared for the 1883 final by taking the team to Blackpool for special training.

Which Glasgow club, Scotland's oldest, lost the FA Cup finals of 1884 and 1885?

Queen's Park had first entered in 1871–72, reaching the semi-finals without playing, then withdrew because they could not afford another trip to London.

Tottenham's 1901 win is unique since 1888 because Spurs were then playing in which competition?

Tottenham were only fifth in The Southern League that season, yet beat First Division Sheffield United in a replay to lift the Cup.

The 1923 'White Horse Final' at the new Wembley was named after a police horse called what?

Billie was actually a grey horse that only looked white in the high-contrast black-and-white newsreel footage.

Who won the White Horse Final of 1923?

Bolton Wanderers won 2–0 once mounted police had pushed the overflowing crowd off the pitch and back to the touchlines.

As of 2026, which is the only non-English club to have won the FA Cup?

Cardiff City won the 1927 final 1–0 when Hughie Ferguson's shot slipped from the goalkeeper's grasp and into the net.

The 1953 final is nicknamed after which Blackpool winger, then aged 38?

Stanley Matthews had lost two earlier finals, then inspired Blackpool's comeback from 3–1 down to win 4–3 and finally collect a winner's medal.

Which Second Division side stunned Leeds United in the 1973 final?

Sunderland held on to their 1–0 lead thanks to goalkeeper Jim Montgomery's famous double save.

As of 2026, who last won the FA Cup from outside the top flight, beating the holders in 1980?

West Ham United won with a rare Trevor Brooking header, and 17-year-old Paul Allen was denied a second only by Willie Young's cynical foul.

Who scored the only goal when Wimbledon shocked Liverpool in the 1988 final?

Liverpool had a Peter Beardsley chip ruled out, yet Lawrie Sanchez's header from Dennis Wise's free-kick won it.

Who made the first ever penalty save in an FA Cup final, in 1988?

Wimbledon had only been in the Football League for eleven years.

Who scored twice for Everton in the 1989 final, which Liverpool won 3–2 after extra time?

Stuart McCall came off the bench to equalise twice, late in normal time and again in extra time.

Who scored the long-range equaliser in Hereford United's 1972 giant-killing of Newcastle?

Ronnie Radford's shot sparked a pitch invasion, and another followed when Ricky George scored the winner.

Which non-League club knocked out 1987 winners Coventry City in the 1989 FA Cup?

Sutton United's reward was a trip to Norwich City in the next round, where they lost 8–0.

Which National League club reached the 2016–17 FA Cup quarter-finals, the first non-League side to do so since 1914?

Lincoln City also won the National League that season, returning to the Football League after six years away.

Who scored the injury-time winner for Wigan against Manchester City in the 2013 final?

Ben Watson's header came two days before Manchester City sacked their manager, Roberto Mancini.

Wigan Athletic are the only club to have done what in the same season as winning the FA Cup?

West Brom in 1931 are the only club to win the Cup and get promoted in the same season.

Where were FA Cup finals played from 2001 to 2006 while Wembley was rebuilt?

The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff kept the final for 2006 too, after building delays forced the FA to drop plans to reopen Wembley that year.

Whose injury-time strike from 30 yards forced extra time in the 2006 FA Cup final?

Steven Gerrard's strike rescued a side that had trailed twice, and goalkeeper Pepe Reina, at fault earlier, redeemed himself as Liverpool won the shoot-out 3–1.

Which team did not defend the FA Cup in 1999-2000 because they were playing in the first Club World Championship?

Manchester United pulled out at the FA's request, because the FA believed playing in Brazil would help England's bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

The 2020 'Heads Up' FA Cup final promoted awareness of what?

Mental health: the campaign behind it was championed by the FA's president, Prince William.

How did the FA replace the holders in the 1999–2000 FA Cup?

A lucky loser was drawn from the lower-division clubs already knocked out, so that a smaller club would benefit.

At which stage do Premier League and Championship clubs enter the FA Cup?

The third-round draw is the one everyone watches.

Why were FA Cup replays scrapped from the first round in 2024–25?

A crowded fixture calendar, driven by expanded Uefa competitions, was the reason given, and lower-league clubs complained of losing replay income.

Which club lost the 1993 FA Cup final after a replay, having lost that season's League Cup final to the same side?

Sheffield Wednesday lost the last FA Cup final to need a replay; drawn finals since, such as 2006's, have gone to penalties.

Jewellers from which Yorkshire city made the larger FA Cup of 1911?

Bradford jewellers Fattorini and Sons got the job after the FA found that its old design had been copied.

Why did the FA move all FA Cup semi-finals to the new Wembley?

Building costs: the FA wanted the semi-finals to help repay the new stadium, a decision that angered some traditionalists.

Whose injury-time penalty did Schmeichel save in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay before Giggs's winner?

Dennis Bergkamp's penalty came with United down to ten men after Roy Keane's red card, and Giggs's winner arrived in extra time.

Who scored Leicester City's winner against Chelsea in the 2021 final, their first ever FA Cup?

Youri Tielemans' strike stood up when VAR ruled out Wes Morgan's late own goal.

Who scored the only goal as Crystal Palace beat Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final?

Eberechi Eze's goal gave Palace their first major trophy, and Dean Henderson protected the lead by saving Omar Marmoush's penalty.

Who led Liverpool to the 1986 League and FA Cup double as player-manager?

Kenny Dalglish's side came from behind in the final, after Everton had led through Gary Lineker at half-time.

Who scored both goals when Fulham, with Bobby Moore in their side, lost the 1975 FA Cup final?

Alan Taylor struck twice in four minutes, both times after Fulham goalkeeper Peter Mellor failed to hold a shot.