The 2024 FA Cup will be the 151st season of the world’s oldest football knockout competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup (or the FA Cup). This competition will begin with the extra preliminary round on Saturday, 5th August 2023. The final of the tournament will take place on Saturday, 25th May 2024 at Wembley Stadium in London.
All 92 clubs in the English Football League system will be eligible to enter the competition, along with 20 non-league clubs. The FA Cup fixtures will begin on Saturday, 4 November 2023 and end on the 25th May 2024. The current holders are Man City – with two goals to-one victory over Man Utd in the 2023 final.
What is the FA Cup Format?
The structure of the FA Cup fixtures is all-inclusive. It allows clubs from various tiers of English football to compete on an equal footing. The competition begins with the Extra Preliminary Round in August, involving the smallest clubs. This is followed by the Preliminary Round and four qualifying rounds. Teams with a higher rank (based on the English football league system) are introduced as the competition progresses.
Once the qualifying rounds are complete, the tournament enters the first round in November. Here, clubs from League One and League Two join the fray. The Third round, typically held in January, sees the entrance of Premier League and Championship clubs. This round marks the point where English football giants can face teams of a lesser rank.
Each round consists of a single match, lasting the standard 90 minutes. If a match ends in a draw, a replay is held at the home ground of the away team. From the Fifth round onwards, drawn matches proceed to extra time and penalty shootout (if necessary) to determine the winner.
The competition culminates in the FA Cup Final, held at Wembley Stadium in May. This iconic event is one of the highlights of the English football calendar. Victory for a club means they’ll lift the prestigious FA Cup trophy and secure a place in the following season’s Europa League.
Where to Find FA Cup Predictions
There are many places where you can find FA Cup fixtures predictions. Some of the most popular include:
- Online bookmakers: Many online bookmakers offer FA Cup predictions for free. These predictions are based on the bookmaker’s statistical analysis of each team involved.
- Expert tipsters: These experts also offer predictions for FA Cup fixtures. Tipsters usually have a lot of experience in football betting and use their knowledge to make their predictions.
- Social media: There are also many FA Cup fixtures predictions made by tipsters, fans and lovers of the game on social media.
The FA Cup predictions markets vary depending on the bookmaker. Some of the most common ones are.
- Winner of the FA Cup: This is the most popular market, and it simply involves predicting which team will win the competition.
- Top goalscorer: This market involves predicting which player will score the most goals in the FA Cup.
- Correct score: This market involves predicting the exact score of a particular match.
- Over/under: This market involves predicting whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be over or under a certain number.
It’s important to note that predictions are seldom accurate. They simply provide an idea of the likely outcome of a match or the competition as a whole.
Conclusion
The FA Cup is one of the most prestigious football competitions in the world. It has been won by some of the biggest clubs in English football including Arsenal and Man Utd. Arsenal is the most-time winner with victory on 14 occasions.
The FA Cup fixtures often raise numerous questions among fans. As we conclude our article, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about the FA Cup 2024.
FA Cup FAQs
It is still too early to predict who will win the tournament because of its unpredictability. However, traditionally strong teams like Man Utd, Man City, and Arsenal are often considered favourites because of their form.
The next FA Cup is set to begin with the Extra Preliminary Round on Saturday, 5 August 2023. The final is scheduled for Saturday, 25 May 2024, at Wembley Stadium in London.
The FA Cup is broadcast globally, and Uganda is no exception. The specific broadcaster can vary from year to year, depending on the distribution of international rights. Typically, major sports networks like SuperSport, which is available on the DStv and GOtv platforms, broadcast the FA Cup in Uganda. It’s advisable to check the local listings closer to the tournament’s start date for the most accurate information.
Harry Cursham holds the record for the most goals scored in the FA Cup competition with 49 goals for Notts County.