Here are the 2024-25 FA Cup Dates

The English Football Association has released the 2024-25 FA Cup round and draw dates. We have the FA Cup schedule here.

We also sell FA Cup tickets; see below to request a quote.

What is the FA Cup?

As explained in the video above, the FA Cup is a knockout competition for virtually all football clubs in England, as well as a few in Wales. It begins in August with fully amateur clubs, and with each ensuing round, larger clubs enter the competition, always via random draw to determine who plays at home and who plays away. The Final at Wembley Stadium is usually in May but this year is in June.

More than 700 clubs will participate in the 2024-25 FA Cup, which is the 144th time the competition has been held.

Manchester United are defending champions, or “holders” of the FA Cup.

While we don’t know the actual FA Cup fixtures until each draw is made after each round, we do know the 2024-25 FA Cup schedule.

For much more background, read our blog post What is the FA Cup?

The 1911 FA Cup, at the National Football Museum in Manchester.

The 2024-25 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.

Extra Preliminary Round: August 3, 2024

This includes 300+ clubs from levels 8-10 of the pyramid of English football leagues. In the 2023-24 FA Cup, this was 208 games.

Preliminary Round: August 17, 2024

The rest of level 8 enter for a total of around 300 clubs and 150 games.

1st Round Qualifying: August 31, 2024

More than 80 clubs from level 7 enter for a total of around 230 clubs and 115 games.

2nd Round Qualifying: September 14, 2024

For this round, 48 clubs from the National League North and South, tier 6 of the pyramid, enter the competition. This will be approximately 160 clubs playing 80 games.

3rd Round Qualifying: September 28, 2024

There are no new entries for this round, just the approximately 80 winners from the previous round playing 40 games.

4th Round Qualifying: October 12, 2024

Here the 24 clubs from the National League at tier 5 enter with the 40 winners from before, for a total of 64 clubs playing 32 games.

Watch the FA Cup on ESPN+

1st Round Proper: November 2, 2024

The 48 fully professional clubs from League One and League Two — tiers 3 and 4 — come in. This is a fun weekend when some amateur clubs have survived long enough to take on a Football League club. Eighty clubs play 40 games.

2nd Round Proper: November 30, 2024

No new clubs for this round, just the 40 winners playing 20 games.

3rd Round Proper: January 11, 2025

This is the really fun one, when all the 44 clubs from the Premier League and Championship, the top two tiers, enter and often wind up facing some really small clubs. Sixty-four teams play 32 games.

Note that both the Championship and Premier League take this weekend off from league games.

4th Round Proper: February 8, 2025

With no more clubs to enter the rest of the way, this is the Round of 32, a total of 16 games. Again, the Premier League takes this weekend off — but not the Championship.

5th Round Proper: March 1, 2025

This is the Round of 16 and a total of eight games will be played.

Quarterfinals: March 29, 2025

This year, for the first time, the Premier League will take this weekend off so as not to compete with the FA Cup.

Semifinals: April 26-27, 2025

Both semifinals are played at Wembley Stadium in London this weekend. This will interfere with league schedules, as both the Premier League and Championship will schedule games for this weekend.

2025 FA Cup Final: May 17, 2025

The 2025 FA Cup Final will be held May 17. As always, it will be held at Wembley Stadium in London.

Looking for FA Cup Tickets?

Groundhopper Soccer Guides sells FA Cup tickets at many Premier League and Championship clubs. We will also have FA Cup semifinal tickets and FA Cup Final tickets. Fill out the form below, let us know which game(s) you would like to see, and we will get back to you soon!