| Women's FA Cup | |
| Region: | England Wales |
| Current: | 2024–25 Women's FA Cup |
| Number Of Teams: | 514 (2024–25) |
| Current Champions: | Manchester United (1st title) |
| Website: | Women's FA Cup |
| Most Successful Club: | Arsenal (14 titles) |
| Broadcasters: | BBC (until 2025) Channel 4 (2025-2028) |
The Women's FA Challenge Cup is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football.[1] [2] Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup, and now Women's FA Cup (currently known as the Adobe Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reasons).
Designed as an equivalent to the FA Cup in men's football, the competition began in 1970–71 as the Mitre Challenge Trophy, organised by the Women's Football Association (WFA).[3] There were 71 entrants, including teams from Scotland and Wales.[4]
The WFA ran the competition for the first 23 editions, during which time Southampton won the cup eight times. The Football Association (FA) began administering English women's football in mid-1993.[5]
Arsenal holds the record for most titles overall, having won fourteen times.[6] The current cup holders are Manchester United, who defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4–0 in the 2024 final to win their first FA Cup title.
The competition, founded in 1970, was sponsored as the Mitre Challenge Trophy until April 1976.
As a Women's Football Association competition until 1992–93, it was known as the WFA Cup or more informally as the Women's FA Cup. After the running of the competition passed to the FA in 1993–94, the Association renamed it as the FA Women's Cup,[7] [8] until 2015.[9] [10] The name was officially reworded as the Women's FA Cup in June 2015,[11] before that year's final.[12] [13] The tournament rules, as in the men's FA Cup, name it the Women's FA Challenge Cup.[14]
Previous national cup competitions included the English Ladies Football Association Challenge Cup in 1922, won by Stoke Ladies.
The first women's Mitre Challenge Trophy matches were played in 1970,[15] and the first final was held on 9 May 1971 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.[16] The WFA was initially named the Ladies Football Association of Great Britain,[16] and Scottish clubs were successful in reaching the first three finals of this tournament (albeit as runners-up). Two of these clubs were runners-up in England while also winning the Scottish Women's Cup in the same season, Stewarton Thistle in 1971 and Westthorn United in 1973.
Southampton Women's F.C. won eight of the first 11 WFA Cup competitions.
Doncaster Belles reached nearly every final between 1982–83 and 1993–94, and won the trophy six times.
The current entry points as of the 2024–25 season:[17]
All other clubs enter in the First Qualifying round.
The original Mitre Challenge Trophy has "disappeared", according to the WFA History records.[16] This cup was replaced in May 1979 when the Football Association donated a new trophy for the competition's winners, to mark the WFA's tenth anniversary.[16]
1970–71 cup winner Sue Lopez said it was suspected that a player "tucked it away somewhere in a trophy cabinet", and she was trying to locate the original cup for the National Football Museum in 2015.[18]
The current Women's FA Cup trophy was one of the first prestigious trophies to be made in the Thomas Lyte silver workshop.[19]
The following is a list of Women's FA Cup seasons and final results.[20] [21]
Finalists are primarily clubs from England, unless denoted with for Scotland.
Where a season's Final is marked in bold, it has a specific article for the match.
| Season | width=140px | Winners | width=60px | Score | width=140px | Runners-up | Scorers | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 (final) | Southampton | 4–1 | Southampton: Davies (3), Cassell Stewarton: Reilly | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre | ||||
| 1971–72 (final) | Southampton | 3–2 | Lee's Ladies | Southampton: Judd (2), Lopez Lee's: White, Ferries | Eton Park, Burton upon Trent Attendance: 1,500 | |||
| 1972–73 (final) | Southampton | 2–0 | Westthorn United | Kenway 70', Hale 75' | Bedford Town FC Attendance: 3,000 | |||
| 1973–74 (final) | Fodens | 2–1 | Southampton | Fodens: Leatherbarrow (2) Southampton: Davies | Bedford Town FC Attendance: 800 | |||
| 1974–75 (final) | Southampton | 4–2 | Warminster | Southampton: Chapman, Dickie, Davies, Hale Warminster: Foreman (2; 1 pen.) | Dunstable Town FC | |||
| 1975–76 (final) | Southampton | 2–1 | Queen's Park Rangers | Southampton: M. Kirkland, Davies QPR: McGroarty[22] | Bedford Town FC Attendance: 1,500 | |||
| 1976–77 (final) | Queen's Park Rangers | 1–0 | Southampton | Staley 25' | Champion Hill, East Dulwich Attendance: 3,000 | |||
| 1977–78 (final) | Southampton | 8–2 | Queen's Park Rangers | Southampton: Davies, Lopez, Chapman (6) QPR: Choat, Staley | Wexham Park Stadium, Slough Attendance: 200 | |||
| 1978–79 (final) | Southampton | 1–0 | Lowestoft Ladies | Chapman 6' | Waterlooville FC Attendance: 1,200 | |||
| 1979–80 (final) | St Helens | 1–0 | Preston North End | Holland 75' | Enfield Town FC | |||
| 1980–81 (final) | Southampton | 4–2 | St Helens | Southampton: Chapman 12', 58', England 45', Carter 71' St Helens: Leatherbarrow 26', Ja. Turner 65' | Knowsley Road, St Helens Attendance: 1,352 | |||
| 1981–82 (final) | Lowestoft Ladies | 2–0 | Cleveland Spartans | Linda Curl 26', Poppy 57' | Loftus Road Attendance: ~1,000[23] | |||
| 1982–83 (final) | Doncaster Belles | 3–2 | St Helens | Doncaster: Stocks (2), J. Hanson St Helens: Leatherbarrow, Deighan | Sincil Bank, Lincoln Attendance: 1,500 | |||
| 1983–84 (final) | Howbury Grange | 4–2 | Doncaster Belles | Howbury: Baldeo (2), Springett (2) Doncaster: L. Hanson (2) | Sincil Bank, Lincoln | |||
| 1984–85 (final) | Friends of Fulham | 2–0 | Doncaster Belles | McAdam 22', Hynes 25' | Craven Cottage, Fulham Attendance: 1,500 | |||
| 1985–86 (final) | Norwich City | 4–3 | Doncaster Belles | Norwich: Curl 16', Colk 40', Jackson 50', Lawrence 80+2'[24] Doncaster: J. Hanson 26', Walker 27', 75' | Carrow Road, Norwich | |||
| 1986–87 (final) | Doncaster Belles | 2–0 | St Helens | Sherrard 12', Walker 80' | City Ground, Nottingham | |||
| 1987–88 (final) | Doncaster Belles | 3–1 | Leasowe Pacific | Doncaster: Walker, Coultard, Sherrard Leasowe: Jackson (pen.) | Gresty Road, Crewe Attendance: 800 | |||
| 1988–89 (final) | Leasowe Pacific | 3–2 | Friends of Fulham | Leasowe: Murray 7', Thomas 47', McQuiggan 65' Fulham: Powell 8', 40' | Old Trafford, Manchester Attendance: 941 | |||
| 1989–90 (final) | Doncaster Belles | 1–0 | Friends of Fulham | Coultard 61' | Baseball Ground Attendance: 3,000 | |||
| 1990–91 (final) | Millwall Lionesses | 1–0 | Doncaster Belles | Baldeo 65' | Prenton Park Attendance:4,000 | |||
| 1991–92 (final) | Doncaster Belles | 4–0 | Red Star Southampton | Coultard 38', Walker 47', 65' 78' | Prenton Park Attendance:250 | |||
| 1992–93 (final) | Arsenal | 3–0 | Doncaster Belles | Curley 45', Ball 45', Bampton 80' | Manor Ground, Oxford Attendance: 3,547 | |||
| 1993–94 (final) | Doncaster Belles | 1–0 | Knowsley United | Walker 38' | Glanford Park Attendance: 1,674 | |||
| 1994–95 (final) | Arsenal | 3–2 | Liverpool | Arsenal: Lonergan 36', 55', Spacey 81' Liverpool: Burke 24', 41' | Prenton Park | |||
| 1995–96 (final) | Croydon | 1–1 3–2 | Liverpool | Liverpool: Burke 22' Croydon: Powell 38' | The New Den Attendance: 2,110 | |||
| 1996–97 (final) | Millwall Lionesses | 1–0 | Wembley | Waller 51' | Upton Park Attendance: 3,015 | |||
| 1997–98 (final) | Arsenal | 3–2 | Croydon | Arsenal: Spacey 17', Yankey 52', Few 90+3' Croydon: Broadhurst (pen.) 10', Powell 55' | The New Den | |||
| 1998–99 (final) | Arsenal | 2–0 | Southampton Saints | Hayes (o.g.) 14', Wheatley 41' | The Valley Attendance: 6,450 | |||
| 1999–00 (final) | Croydon | 2–1 | Doncaster Belles | Croydon: C.Walker 40', Hunt 67' Doncaster: Exley 40' | Bramall Lane Attendance: 3,434 | |||
| 2000–01 (final) | Arsenal | 1–0 | Fulham | Banks 52' | Selhurst Park Attendance: 13,824 | |||
| 2001–02 (final) | Fulham | 2–1 | Doncaster Belles | Fulham: Yankey 55', Chapman 56' Doncaster: Handley 58' | Selhurst Park Attendance: 10,124 | |||
| 2002–03 (final) | Fulham | 3–0 | Charlton Athletic | Moore 18', Hills (o.g.) 36', Williams (o.g.) 61' | Selhurst Park Attendance: 10,389 | |||
| 2003–04 (final) | Arsenal | 3–0 | Charlton Athletic | Fleeting 23', 25', 83' | Loftus Road Attendance: 12,244 | |||
| 2004–05 (final) | Charlton Athletic | 1–0 | Everton | Aluko 58' | Upton Park Attendance: 8,567 | |||
| 2005–06 (final) | Arsenal | 5–0 | Leeds United | Ward (o.g.) 3', Fleeting 34', Yankey 35', Smith (pen.) 73', Sanderson 77' | The New Den Attendance: 13,452 | |||
| 2006–07 (final) | Arsenal | 4–1 | Charlton Athletic | Charlton: Holtham 2' Arsenal: Smith 7', 80', Ludlow 15', 45' | City Ground Attendance: 24,529 | |||
| 2007–08 (final) | Arsenal | 4–1 | Leeds United | Arsenal: Smith 54', 83', Ludlow 59', Sanderson 60' Leeds: Clarke 69' | City Ground Attendance: 24,582 | |||
| 2008–09 (final) | Arsenal | 2–1 | Sunderland | Arsenal: Chapman 32', Little 90' Sunderland: McDougall 90' | Pride Park Stadium Attendance: 23,291 | |||
| 2009–10 (final) | Everton | 3–2 | Arsenal | Arsenal: Little (pen.) 43', Fleeting 54' Everton: Dowie 16', 119', White (o.g.) 45+2' | City Ground Attendance: 17,505[25] | |||
| 2010–11 (final) | Arsenal | 2–0 | Bristol Academy | Little 19', Fleeting 32' | Ricoh Arena Attendance: 13,885[26] | |||
| 2011–12 (final) | Birmingham City | 2–2 | Chelsea | Birmingham City: Williams 90', Carney 111' Chelsea: Lander 69', Longhurst 101' | Ashton Gate Attendance: 8,723 | |||
| 2012–13 (final) | Arsenal | 3–0 | Bristol Academy | Houghton 2', Nobbs 72', White 90' | Keepmoat Stadium Attendance: 4,988 | |||
| 2013–14 (final) | Arsenal | 2–0 | Everton | Smith 15', Kinga 61' | Stadium MK Attendance: 15,098 | |||
| 2014–15 (final) | Chelsea | 1–0 | Notts County | Ji So-yun 39' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 30,710 | |||
| 2015–16 (final) | Arsenal | 1–0 | Chelsea | Carter 18' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 32,912 | |||
| 2016–17 (final) | Manchester City | 4–1 | Birmingham City | Manchester City: Bronze 18', Christiansen 25', Lloyd 32', Scott 80' Birmingham City: Wellings 73' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 35,271 | |||
| 2017–18 (final) | Chelsea | 3–1 | Arsenal | Chelsea: Bachmann 48', 60', Kirby 76' Arsenal: Miedema 73' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 45,423 | |||
| 2018–19 (final) | Manchester City | 3–0 | West Ham United | Walsh 52', Stanway 81', Hemp 88' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 43,264 | |||
| 2019–20 (final) | Manchester City | 3–1 | Everton | Manchester City: Mewis 40', Stanway 111', Beckie 120+2' Everton: Gauvin 60' | Wembley Stadium Behind closed doors (COVID-19 pandemic) | |||
| 2020–21 (final) | Chelsea | 3–0 | Arsenal | Kirby 3', Kerr 57', 77' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 40,942 | |||
| 2021–22 (final) | Chelsea | 3–2 | Manchester City | Chelsea: Kerr 33', 99', Cuthbert 63' Manchester City: Hemp 42', Raso 89' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 49,094 | |||
| 2022–23 (final) | Chelsea | 1–0 | Manchester United | Kerr 68' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 77,390 | |||
| 2023–24 (final) | Manchester United | 4–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | Toone 45+3', Williams 54', García 57', 74' | Wembley Stadium Attendance: 76,082 |
In the late 1980s[27] and early 1990s,[28] television coverage of the WFA final was provided by Channel 4.
Between 2001 and 2008, the final of the tournament was covered by the BBC and presented by Celina Hinchcliffe, Rebecca Lowe, Ray Stubbs and Jake Humphrey; the punditry team was usually current players like Sue Scott and commentary usually by Steve Wilson and Lucy Ward or Faye White and always played on the May Day bank holiday. The final was also simulcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. In 2009, the final was moved to ITV1, with commentary from Jon Champion and Lucy Ward. Sky Sports secured a three-year deal for live coverage from 2010 until 2012.[29]
Sponsors of the original WFA competition (1970–1993) included Mitre,[3] Pony wines and Mycil.[28]
In the FA competition, the sponsors have been UK Living (1995–1998), AXA (1998–2002), Nationwide Building Society (2002–2006) and E.ON[30] [31] (2006–2011). From 2007, Tesco obtained additional branding and advertising rights through their partnership agreement with the FA.[32]
Despite sponsorship by these major companies, entering the tournament has actually cost clubs more than they often get in prize money. In 2015 it was reported that even if Notts County had won the tournament outright the paltry £8,600 winnings would leave them out of pocket.[33] The winners of the men's FA Cup in the same year received £1.8 million, with teams not even reaching the first round proper getting more than the women's winners.[34] In September 2020, the FA announced that health and life insurance and investment company VitalityHealth had signed a deal to become the sponsor of the competition until July 2023.[35]
In November 2023, after three years with Vitality, the FA announced that Adobe Inc. would become the sponsor of the competition for three years, through to July 2026. The partnership would focus on "increasing fan engagement and raising the profile of the competition". In addition, all 460 clubs that participate in the competition would gain access to, and training on Adobe Express, a graphic design tool.[36]