Women’s FA Cup Format Changes Deferred Amid Fan Concerns

omidbasir- Millie Bright led Chelsea to victory in the Women’s FA Cup last season.

Plans to modify the format of the Women’s FA Cup, which involved seeding four teams and establishing pathways to Wembley from the last 32, will not be implemented in the upcoming season.

These proposals, initially reported by The Guardian, would have prevented the top four teams from the previous season’s Women’s Super League (WSL) from facing each other until the semi-finals and eliminated draws from the fourth round onward.

The Football Association (FA) stated that these changes would enhance the likelihood of consistently high-quality matches in the later rounds and bolster commercial potential.

However, multiple official supporters’ clubs raised concerns that such changes would undermine the “magic” of the competition and disproportionately benefit the wealthiest clubs.

In response, the FA acknowledged the feedback received and has decided to delay changes to the cup’s structure while seeking further input.

An FA statement expressed, “We understand how much the competition means to clubs, players, and fans across the pyramid. It is crucial that all parties have sufficient time to share their perspectives.”

Consequently, the FA will extend the consultation phase to facilitate further engagement based on the questions and comments raised.

The SheGulls, representing supporters of WSL club Brighton & Hove Albion, cautioned that seeding elite teams would exacerbate disparities in quality throughout the sport. “The sporting merit in our game is slowly being eroded in favor of ‘super matches’ between elite-level teams,” the fan group remarked on X.

“The rich will only get richer, while teams across the pyramid may fade into obscurity, knowing that without substantial financial backing, they will never reach the upper echelons of competition.”

The Fulham Women Supporters’ Club, whose team competes in the fourth tier, criticized the proposal as a “ridiculous idea,” asserting that it undermines the fundamental principles of the FA Cup. They expressed a desire for WSL teams to enter the competition a round earlier.

Similarly, the Everton Women’s Official Supporters Club lamented, “And there goes the magic of the FA Cup! The Subway Cup [League Cup] is a farce, and now this? It’s all about the money. It didn’t take long to diminish the women’s game, did it?”

Currently, the Women’s FA Cup follows the same format as the men’s competition, featuring a draw after each round. This includes a preliminary round and three qualifying rounds, inviting teams from tiers four to seven of the pyramid. Teams from the Women’s National League enter in the first round proper, WSL2 teams in the third round, and those from the top division a round later.

These proposed changes emerged shortly after a significant overhaul of the Women’s League Cup was announced, which will rebrand the competition and adopt a Champions League-style format starting next season.

For insights into the latest developments in women’s football, tune into the Women’s Football Weekly podcast, featuring Ben Haines, Ellen White, and Jen Beattie, with new episodes released every Tuesday on BBC Sounds.