The English Football Association has released the 2023-24 Women’s FA Cup round and draw dates. We have the Women’s FA Cup schedule here.

The Women’s FA Cup

There has been a version of the Women’s FA Cup since 1970, though at first it was called the Women’s Football Association Cup, or Mitre Cup since it was sponsored by a sports equipment manufacturer. The WFA ran it for 23 seasons, during which it was dominated by two clubs that fans of the men’s game will have hardly noticed: Southampton and, especially, Doncaster.

Southampton are an interesting story, because they have never been associated with Southampton (Men’s) FC. The Reds, as they are known, were founded in 1970, just as the women’s game was being reborn in England, and they played in the first nine Cup Finals, winning seven of them.

Just the history of those early Cup days is revealing regarding the state of the women’s game back then. In the first 12 Finals, 10 of which included Southampton, none of the other opponents still exist under their name of the time, if at all. Southampton, meanwhile, continue on, although the Premier League men’s club also has an affiliated women’s team (since 2018), and the two are now together in the fourth tier National League Division 1 South West. We assume this is quite the derby!

Chelsea won the 2022-23 Women’s FA Cup.

The 2023-24 Women’s FA Cup Schedule

For each round, the date listed is the “main date.” Fixtures will actually be held a day before and after that date, as well.

The draw for each round will be made a day or two after the completion of the previous round.

1st Round Qualifying: September 10, 2023

This round was made up of teams from outside the top five tiers of women’s football pyramid for a total of 174 clubs and 72 games.

2nd Round Qualifying: October 1, 2023

For this round, 82 clubs from regional first-division football leagues, tier 5 of the pyramid, enter the competition. This will be approximately 256 clubs playing 122 games.

3rd Round Qualifying: October 22, 2023

For this round, 48 clubs from the FA Women’s National League Division One, tier 4 of the pyramid, enter the competition. This will be approximately 176 clubs playing 84 games.

1st Round Proper: November 12, 2023

In this round, 24 clubs from the FA Women’s National League Premier Division, tier 3 of the pyramid, enter the competition. This will be approximately 112 clubs playing 56 games.

2nd Round Proper: November 26, 2023

No new clubs for this round, just the 56 winners playing 28 games.

3rd Round Proper: December 10, 2023

This is when the bigger teams start to join the competition, when all 12 clubs from the Women’s Championship, the second tier, enter and often wind up facing some really small clubs. Forty teams play 20 games.

4th Round Proper: January 14, 2024

This is the last round when additional teams join the competition when all 12 clubs from the Women’s Super League enter and are often paired with some very small clubs. 32 teams play 16 games.

5th Round Proper: February 11, 2024

This is the Round of 16, held on a midweek to not interfere with league schedules.  A total of eight games will be played.

Quarterfinals: March 10, 2024

Semifinals: April 14, 2024

The location of the semifinals is dependent on the teams that have qualified for it.

2024 Women’s FA Cup Final: May 11 or 12, 2024

The 2024 Women’s FA Cup Final will be held on May 11 or 12. It will be held at Wembley Stadium in London.