FA Cup is one of the most famous cup competitions in the world football. Founded back in 1871, FA Cup is an English knockout football competition which pits together teams from different divisions.
A record of 763 English clubs took part in the 2011/2012 FA Cup, the tournament which consists of 12 randomly drawn rounds. The competition usually begins in August and the fact that there is no seeding in the draw, makes the FA Cup more interesting.
Both semi-final games and the final are hosted by Wembley Stadium. Arsenal and Manchester United are the two most successful clubs in the competition, with the Gunners clinching their 13th trophy in 2017. One year later the Red Devils won their 12th FA Cup title, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 in the title game.
A trophy with a long history
The first FA Cup tournament kicked off in November 1871, with Wanderers winning the trophy thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Royal Engineers. The club managed to defend their title the following season, beating Oxford United in the final at Lillie Bridge (London).
The goal Everton attacker Louis Saha scored in the 2009 FA Cup final is the fastest goal in the FA Cup final history. The French striker found the net after just 27.9 seconds. Man City's 6-0 win over Watford in the 2019 FA Cup final is the largest winning margin in the title game. Bury outclassed Derby County 6-0 as well in the 1903 FA Cup final.
Legendary Arsenal coach is the FA Cup’s most successful manager, with the Frenchman winning seven titles with the Gunners. Arsene Wenger clinched his first FA Cup trophy with Arsenal back in 1998 and 19 years later he won his last title as the capital club defeated Chelsea 2-1 in the title game at Wembley Stadium.