2024–25 FA Youth Cup explained

FA Youth Cup
Year:	2024–25
Num Teams:	633
Prev Season:	2023–24
Next Season:	2025–26

The 2024–25 FA Youth Cup was the 73rd edition of the competition.

The competition consisted of several rounds and was preceded by a qualifying competition, starting with two preliminary rounds which was followed by three qualifying rounds for non-League teams. The Football League teams entered the draw thereafter, with League One and League Two teams entered in the first round proper, and Premier League and Championship teams entered in the third round proper.

A record 633 clubs were accepted into the competition. Although 3 teams Hutton, Newent Town, and Thame United withdrew before the draw began, 630 competed in the competition. The current defending Champions are Manchester City who defeated Leeds United 4–0 at the Etihad Stadium in front of 20,000 fans.

Calendar

Round	Matches played from	Matches	Clubs	New entries
Extra preliminary round	12 August 2024	93	630 → 537	186
Preliminary round	2 September 2024	191	537 → 346	289
First round qualifying	16 September 2024	117	346 → 229	43
Second round qualifying	30 September 2024	70	229 → 159	23
Third round qualifying	14 October 2024	35	159 → 124
First round	2 November 2024	40	124 → 84	45
Second round	23 November 2024	20	84 → 64
Third round	14 December 2024	32	64 → 32	44
Fourth round	18 January 2025	16	32 → 16
Fifth round	8 February 2025	8	16 → 8
Quarter-finals	8 March 2025	4	8 → 4
Semi-finals	5 April 2025	2	4 → 2
Final	3 May 2025	1	2 → 1

Qualifying rounds

Extra preliminary round

186 teams from tiers 7-10 competed in the Extra preliminary Round. 9 walkovers occurred in this round as Ardley United, Arundel, Godalming Town, Rochester United, St Blazey, Selsey, Soham Town Rangers, Sutton Athletic and West Didsbury & Chorlton all withdrew from the competition at this stage. The result is 9 total walkovers so far. The Draw was released on July 5, 2024.^{[1] [2]}

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
Friday 9 August 2024
13	Emley AFC (8)	4–1	Gainsborough Trinity (7)	158
Monday 12 August 2024
8	West Didsbury & Chorlton (9)		Hyde United (7)	NA
23	Newcastle Town (8)	7–0	Stafford Rangers (8)	56
59	AFC Croydon Athletic (8)		Sutton Athletic (9)	NA
63	Rochester United (10)		Rusthall (9)	NA
76	Farnham Town (8)		Godalming Town (10)	NA
85	Gosport Borough (7)	12–0	United Services Portsmouth (9)	165
28	Lye Town (8)	5–0	Studley (9)	53
Match played at Studley.
42	Sawbridgeworth Town (9)	2–4	Saffron Walden Town (9)
57	Hendon (7)	1–2	Hillingdon Borough (10)	69
73	Three Bridges (8)	3–2	Westfield (8)	68
Match played at Westfield.
77	Hastings United (7)		Arundel (10)	NA
78	Didcot Town (8)	3–1	Frimley Green (10)	71
88	Bristol Manor Farm (8)	3–2	Yate Town (8)	126
92	St Blazey (9)		Saltash United (9)	NA
22	Romulus (9)	1–2	Coton Green (10)	50
Match played at Coton Green.
25	Stratford Town (7)	3–2	Redditch United (7)	60
38	Brantham Athletic (9)		Soham Town Rangers (9)	NA
41	Haverhill Borough (10)	1–3	Haverhill Rovers (10)
45	Hackney Wick (10)	3–0	Brentwood Town (8)
51	Bowers & Pitsea (7)	4–3	London Lions (10)
53	Berkhamsted (8)	4–2	Spelthorne Sports (9)	30
70	South Park (Reigate) (8)	2–1	Little Common (9)	52
75	Redhill (9)	1–4	Horsham YMCA (9)	85
Tuesday 13 August 2024
36	Lakenheath (9)	4–0	Swaffham Town (10)
52	Rayners Lane (8)	2–1	Holmer Green (10)
14	Guiseley AFC (7)	3–0	Dronfield Town (10)	123
34	St Ives Town (7)	6–1	Crawley Green (9)	83
48	Waltham Abbey (8)	1–7	Hashtag United (7)	124
55	Hanworth Villa (8)	1–0	Burnham (9)	78
69	Steyning Town Community (8)	1–3	Chipstead (9)	40
Wednesday 14 August 2024
10	FC United of Manchester (7)	2–0	Darwen (10)
61	Phoenix Sports (8)	1–5	Dartford (7)	103
79	Reading City (9)	4–3	Marlow (7)	85
21	Clifton All Whites (10)	4–1	Hinckley LR (8)	80
24	AFC Telford United (7)	3–1	Stourbridge (7)	72
Match played at Shifnal Town.
31	Kempston Rovers (9)	6–2	Letchworth Garden City Eagles (10)	150
54	Brook House (10)	2–3	Oxhey Jets (10)	88
67	Merstham (8)	5–1	Roffey (9)	137
74	Guildford City (9)	1–5	Newhaven (9)	50
89	Shortwood United (10)	0–5	Mangotsfield United (9)
15	Gresley Rovers (9)	10–0	Lincoln United (9)	145
27	Halesowen Town (7)	1–2	Pershore Town (9)	107
43	Bishop's Stortford (7)	0–0	Potters Bar Town (7)	307
47	Frenford (9)	2–3	May & Baker Eastbrook Community (10)	66
50	Little Oakley (9)	0–5	Enfield Borough (10)	12
56	Wembley (9)	0–10	Northwood (8)	35

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
60	Hollands & Blair (9)	2–1	Glebe (9)
62	Sutton Common Rovers (8)	2–1	Sevenoaks Town (8)	54
68	Horsham (7)	2–2	Carshalton Athletic (7)	78
72	Bognor Regis Town (7)	1–2	Worthing United (10)	75
81	Fleet Town (9)	2–2	Hartley Wintney (8)	188
86	Bishop's Cleeve (8)	4–3	Odd Down (10)
Thursday 15 August 2024
7	Ramsbottom United (9)	6–1	Colne (9)	70
9	Wythenshawe Town (8)	1–6	Warrington Rylands (7)	102
19	Loughborough Students (8)	1–2	Matlock Town (7)	96
30	Moulton (10)	0–1	Royston Town (7)
58	Sheppey United (8)	2–3	Erith & Belvedere (9)	81
18	Leicester Nirvana (9)	0–2	Hinckley AFC (9)	72
32	Kettering Town (7)	2–4	Shefford Town & Campton (9)
44	Hullbridge Sports (9)	3–2	West Essex (9)
49	Walthamstow (8)	2–3	Barking (9)
64	Mile Oak (10)	0–2	Walton & Hersham (8)
87	Hengrove Athletic (10)	0–3	Fairford Town (9)	87
Match played at Fairford Town.
90	Thornbury Town (9)	1–3	Cheltenham Saracens (10)	107
91	Malmesbury Victoria (9)	0–11	Paulton Rovers (8)
Match played at Paulton Rovers.
93	Falmouth Town AFC (8)	1–8	Helston Athletic (8)
3	Workington AFC (7)	2–5	Whickham (9)
4	Cheadle Heath Nomads (10)	1–2	South Liverpool (9)
5	Skelmersdale United (10)	7–1	Sandbach United (10)
Match played at Sandbach United.
11	Ossett United (8)	1–6	Golcar United (9)	119
12	Harrogate Railway Athletic (10)	0–1	Tadcaster Albion (9)	115
16	Holbeach United (10)	1–2	Ashby Ivanhoe (9)
20	Sherwood Colliery (8)	6–1	Louth Town (10)	67
26	Coventry Sphinx (8)	5–0	Hereford Pegasus (9)
29	Droitwich Spa (10)	1–5	Worcester City (8)
33	March Town United (9)	0–12	Harpenden Town (9)
35	AFC Rushden & Diamonds (8)	4–1	FC Peterborough (10)	84
37	Cambridge City (8)	2–1	Stowmarket Town (9)	55
Match played at Stowmarket Town.
39	Felixstowe & Walton United (8)	3–2	Great Yarmouth Town (9)	149
40	Woodbridge Town (9)	0–4	Ipswich Wanderers (8)
65	Loxwood (9)	4–0	Ash United (10)
82	Basingstoke Town (7)		Ardley United (9)	NA
84	Petersfield Town (9)	2–2	AFC Totton (7)	79
Friday 16 August 2024
2	Pickering Town (9)	0–2	Newcastle Benfield (9)
6	Cheadle Town (9)	2–2	AFC Liverpool (9)	73
46	Fisher (9)	1–4	Wingate & Finchley (7)	148
1	Penrith AFC (9)	2–4	Whitby Town (7)	65
80	Wantage Town (10)	3–0	Abingdon United (10)	166
17	Ilkeston Town (7)	2–2	Quorn (9)
Match played at Quorn.
66	Kingstonian (7)		Selsey (10)	NA
Match played at South Park Reigate.
83	AFC Stoneham (9)	0–5	Fareham Town (9)	82
Sunday 18 August 2024
71	Pagham (9)	6–0	Saltdean United (9)

Preliminary round

382 teams competed in the Preliminary round with the 93 winners from the previous round along with 289 new teams. The Draw was released on July 5, 2024.^[3]

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
1	Billingham Town (10)		Whickham (9)
2	Blyth Spartans (7)		Hebburn Town (7)
3	Chester-le-Street United (10)		Newcastle Benfield (9)
4	Heaton Stannington (8)		Carlisle City (9)
5	Consett (8)		Stockton Town (7)
6			Whitby Town (7)
7	Newcastle Blue Star (9)		Boro Rangers (9)
8	Avro (8)		Wythenshawe (8)
9	Hyde United (7)		Macclesfield (7)
10	Lancaster City (7)		Trafford (8)
11	FC United of Manchester (7)		Atherton Laburnum Rovers (10)
12	Warrington Rylands (7)		Nantwich Town (8)
13	AFC Liverpool (9)		Clitheroe (8)
14	Vauxhall Motors (8)		Ramsbottom United (9)
15	Squires Gate (9)		Stalybridge Celtic (8)
16	South Liverpool (9)		Congleton Town (8)
17	Pilkington (9)		Bootle (8)
18	Atherton Collieries (8)		Stockport Georgians (10)
19	Burscough (9)		Irlam (9)
20	Ashton Town (10)		Runcorn Linnets (8)
21	Ashton United (7)		Skelmersdale United (10)
22	Emley AFC (8)		Tadcaster Albion (9)
23	Garforth Town (8)		Bottesford Town (9)
24	Handsworth (9)		Cleethorpes Town (8)
25	Goole (9)		Staveley Miners Welfare (10)
26	Grimsby Borough (8)		Retford (10)
27	Pontefract Collieries (8)		Sheffield (8)
28	Penistone Church (9)		Silsden (9)
29	Yorkshire Amateur (10)		Guiseley AFC (7)
30	Stocksbridge Park Steels (8)		Bradford (Park Avenue) (8)
31	Golcar United (9)		Brighouse Town (8)
32	Basford United (7)		Lutterworth Athletic (10)
33	Matlock Town (7)		Mickleover (7)
34	Kirby Muxloe (10)		Kimberley Miners Welfare (9)
35	Clifton All Whites (10)		Harborough Town (7)
36	Sherwood Colliery (8)		Stapenhill (10)
37	Quorn (9)		Heather St John's (10)
38	Coalville Town (10)		Hinckley AFC (9)
39	Leicester St. Andrews (10)		Aylestone Park (9)
40	Gresley Rovers (9)		Long Eaton United (8)
41	Grantham Town (8)		Blackstones (10)
42	GNG Oadby Town (9)		Birstall United (10)
43	Deeping Rangers (9)		Eastwood CFC (9)
44	Saffron Dynamo (10)		Anstey Nomads (8)
45	Stamford (7)		Ashby Ivanhoe (9)
46	Coventry Sphinx (8)		Nuneaton Griff (10)
47	Sutton Coldfield Town (8)		Chasetown (8)
48	Paget Rangers (10)		Coton Green (10)
49	Bilston Town (10)		Evesham United (8)
50	Rugby Borough (9)		Lichfield City (9)
51	Lye Town (8)		AFC Telford United (7)
52	Stratford Town (7)		Newcastle Town (8)
53	AFC Brifgnorth (10)		Worcester Raiders (9)
54	Stourport Swifts (9)		Bedworth United (8)
55	Worcester City (8)		Coventry Copsewood (10)
56	Alvechurch (7)		Allscott Heath (10)
57	Malvern Town (8)		Brocton (9)
58	Pershore Town (9)		Boldmere St. Michaels (8)
59	Atherstone Town (9)		Racing Club Warwick (8)
60	Tividale (9)		Wolverhampton Casuals (9)
61	Walsall Wood (8)		AFC Wulfrunians (9)
62	Leighton Town (8)		St. Neots Town (9)
63	Buckingham (10)		Bugbrooke St. Michaels (9)
64	Ampthill Town (10)		Godmanchester Rovers (9)
65	Daventry Town (9)		AFC Rushden & Diamonds (8)
66	St. Ives Town (7)		Royston Town (7)
67	Cranfield United (10)		AFC Dunstable (8)
68	Desborough Town (10)		Corby Town (8)
69	Hitchin Town (7)		Dunstable Town (9)
70	Arlesey Town (9)		Wellingborough Town (8)
71	Winslow United (9)		Kempston Rovers (9)
72	Harpenden Town (9)		Baldock Town (9)
73	Wellingborough Whitworth (10)		Raunds Town (10)
74	Huntingdon Town (10)		Newport Pagnell Town (9)
75	Histon (9)		Rothwell Corinthians (10)
76	Shefford Town & Campton (9)		Biggleswade Town (7)
77	Cambridge City (8)		Brantham Athletic (9)
78	Cornard United (9)		Haverhill Rovers (10)
79	Ipswich Wanderers (8)		Ely City (9)
80	Framlingham Town (10)		Lakenheath (9)
81	Lowestoft Town (7)		Wroxham (8)
82	Bury Town (8)		Mulbarton Wanderers (9)
83	Walsham-le-Willows (9)		Dereham Town (9)
84	Newmarket Town (8)		Gorleston (8)
85	Leiston (7)		Hadleigh United (9)
86	AFC Sudbury (7)		Felixstowe & Walton United (8)
87	Thetford Town (9)		Diss Town (10)
88	Sheringham (9)		Fakenham Town (9)
89	Witham Town (8)		Bowers & Pitsea (7)
90	Concord Rangers (8)		Barking (9)
91	Colney Heath (9)		Bishop's Stortford (7)
92	Grays Athletic (8)		Hackney Wick (10)
93	Stanway Rovers (9)		Ilford (9)
94	Ware (8)		St. Margaretsbury (10)
95	Buckhurst Hill (9)		Woodford Town (9)

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
96	Hullbridge Sports (9)		Heybridge Swifts (8)
97	Cheshunt (7)		Hertford Town (8)
98	FC Clacton (9)		Redbridge (8)
99	Wingate & Finchley (7)		Romford (9)
100	Hashtag United (7)		Barkingside (10)
101	May & Baker Eastbrook Community (10)		Great Wakering Rovers (9)
102	Saffron Walden Town (9)		Haringey Borough (8)
103	Takeley (9)		Cockfosters (9)
104	Enfield Borough (10)		Tilbury (8)
105	FC Baresi (10)		Billericay Town (7)
106	Berkhamsted (8)		Oxhey Jets (10)
107	Hanwell Town (7)		Hillingdon Borough (10)
108	Northwood (8)		Kings Langley (8)
109	Harrow Borough (8)		Rayners Lane (8)
110	Southall (8)		Penn & Tylers Green (10)
111	Edgware & Kingsbury (9)		Chalfont St. Peter (10)
112	Uxbridge (8)		Tring Athletic (9)
113	Leverstock Green (8)		Beaconsfield Town (8)
114	Rising Ballers Kensington (10)		Hayes & Yeading United (8)
115	Bedfont Sports (9)		Hanworth Villa (8)
116	Langley (10)		Hilltop (9)
117	Flackwell Heath (8)		Amersham Town (9)
118	AFC Croydon Athletic (8)		Hollands & Blair (9)
119	Margate (8)		Rusthall (9)
120	Sutton Common Rovers (8)		Balham (9)
121	Punjab United (9)		Erith & Belvedere (9)
122	Stansfeld (9)		Folkestone Invicta (7)
123	Holmesdale (9)		Deal Town (8)
124	Whitstable Town (9)		Lewisham Borough (10)
125	Erith Town (8)		Cray Wanderers (7)
126	Sittingbourne (8)		Ramsgate (8)
127	Herne Bay (8)		Dartford (7)
128	Faversham Town (9)		Ashford United (8)
129	Dover Athletic (7)		Chatham Town (7)
130	Chichester City (7)		Worthing United (10)
131	Broadbridge Heath (8)		Burgess Hill Town (8)
132	Hastings United (7)		Newhaven (9)
133	Haywards Heath Town (9)		Wick (9)
134	Tooting Bec (10)		Eastbourne Town (8)
135	Knaphill (9)		AFC Whyteleafe (9)
136	Whitehawk (7)		Chipstead (9)
137	Cobham (9)		Abbey Rangers (9)
138	Corinthian Casuals (9)		Shoreham (9)
139	Westside (10)		Three Bridges (8)
140	Lewes (7)		Kingstonian (7)
141	Chessington & Hook United (10)		Leatherhead (8)
142	Peacehaven & Telscombe (9)		Colliers Wood United (10)
143	Bexhill United (9)		Pagham (9)
144	Jersey Bulls (9)		Metropolitan Police (8)
145	Farnham Town (8)		Merstham (8)
146	Lancing (8)		Tooting & Mitcham United (9)
147	Carshalton Athletic (7)		Walton & Hersham (8)
148	Loxwood (9)		Crowborough Athletic (9)
149	Eastbourne United (9)		East Grinstead Town (8)
150	South Park (Reigate) (8)		Badshot Lea (8)
151	Horsham YMCA (9)		AFC Uckfield Town (10)
152	Camberley Town (9)		Eversley & California (10)
153	Risborough Rangers (9)		Wokingham Town (9)
154	Clanfield 85 (10)		Windsor & Eton (10)
155	Ascot United (8)		Bracknell Town (7)
156	Thatcham Town (8)		Wallingford & Crowmarsh (9)
157	Banbury United (7)		Basingstoke Town (7)
158	North Leigh (8)		Hartley Wintney (8)
159	Easington Sports (9)		Reading City (9)
160	Binfield (8)		Didcot Town (8)
161	Sandhurst Town (9)		Yateley United (10)
162	Aylesbury Vale Dynamos (9)		Wantage Town (10)
163	Gosport Borough (7)		AFC Totton (7)
164	Millbrook (9)		Poole Town (7)
165	Alton (9)		Portland United (9)
166	Moneyfields (8)		Christchurch (9)
167	Wimborne Town (7)		AFC Portchester (9)
168	Sholing (7)		Brockenhurst (9)
169	Bournemouth (9)		Winchester City (7)
170	Swindon Supermarine (7)		Hamworthy United (10)
171	Folland Sports (10)		Hamble Club (9)
172	Fareham Town (9)		Havant & Waterlooville (7)
173	Radstock Town (10)		Tuffley Rovers (9)
174	Cheltenham Saracens (10)		Cinderford Town (8)
175	Oldland Abbotonians (9)		Welton Rovers (9)
176	Shepton Mallet (9)		Longwell Green (10)
177	Paulton Rovers (8)		Cirencester Town (9)
178	Bristol Manor Farm (8)		Lydney Town (9)
179	Hartpury University (9)		Mangotsfield United (9)
180	Slimbridge (9)		Gloucester City (7)
181	Bishop's Cleeve (8)		Bristol Telephones (10)
182	Frome Town (7)		Brislington (9)
183	Longlevens (9)		Hallen (10)
184	Clevedon Town (9)		Street (9)
185	Bridgwater United (9)		Cribbs (8)
186	Portishead Town (9)		Fairford Town (9)
187	Callington Town (10)		Elburton Villa (10)
188	Barnstaple Town (9)		AFC St. Austell (9)
189	Saltash United (9)		Bishops Lydeard (10)
190	Mousehole (8)		Helston Athletic (8)
191	Brixham (9)		Bideford (8)

First Round Qualifying

43 clubs from the sixth tier National League North and National League South competed with the 191 winners from the preliminary round. Even though the 6th tier has 48 teams, Chesham United, Farnborough, Peterborough Sports, Scunthorpe United, and Welling United did not apply to compete in the FA Youth Cup.

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117

Second Round Qualifying

23 clubs from the fifth tier National League competed with the 117 winners from the previous round. Although the fifth tier has 24 clubs, Braintree Town did not apply to compete in the FA Youth Cup.

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70

Third Round Qualifying

The 70 winners from the Second Round Qualifying compete in this round with the 35 winners progressing to the First Round Proper.

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Tie	Home team (tier)	Score	Away team (tier)
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35

Competition Proper

First Round

45 teams from League One and League Two joined the 35 winners from the previous round. Barrow AFC, Crawley Town, and Wycombe Wanderers will not participate in this round as they did not apply to enter the competition.

Final

Notes and References

1. Web site: EARLY ROUND DRAWS MADE FOR EMIRATES FA CUP, FA YOUTH CUP, ISUZU FA TROPHY AND FA VASE. The FA.
2. Web site: FA Youth Cup Fixtures. THE FA.
3. Web site: EARLY ROUND DRAWS MADE FOR EMIRATES FA CUP, FA YOUTH CUP, ISUZU FA TROPHY AND FA VASE. The FA.