Women's FA Cup

Women's FA Cup
Founded1970; 54 years ago (1970)
RegionEngland
Wales
Number of teams514 (2024–25)
Current championsManchester United (1st title)
Most successful club(s)Arsenal (14 titles)
Television broadcastersBBC (until 2025)
Channel 4 (2025-2028)
WebsiteWomen's FA Cup
2024–25 Women's FA Cup

The Women's FA Challenge Cup[1] is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football.[2][3] Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup, and now Women's FA Cup (currently known as the Adobe Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reasons).

Designed as an equivalent to the FA Cup in men's football, the competition began in 1970–71 as the Mitre Challenge Trophy, organised by the Women's Football Association (WFA).[4] There were 71 entrants, including teams from Scotland and Wales.[5]

The WFA ran the competition for the first 23 editions, during which time Southampton won the cup eight times. The Football Association (FA) began administering English women's football in mid-1993.[6]

Arsenal holds the record for most titles overall, having won fourteen times.[7] The current cup holders are Manchester United, who defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4–0 in the 2024 final to win their first FA Cup title.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Challenge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Women's FA Cup final: 40,000 tickets sold for Wembley showpiece". BBC Sport. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Relive both Women's FA Cup semi-finals". BBC Sport. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Women's FA Cup: The history". BBC Sport. 1 May 2003. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  5. ^ "Women's Football Competitions Fact Sheet" (PDF). The Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  6. ^ Henry Winter (26 April 1993). "Football: FA forging links to create a permanent partnership: Henry Winter reports on the interest created by the women's FA Cup final in which Arsenal defeated Doncaster Belles 3–0". The Independent. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  7. ^ Tony Leighton (2 May 2010). "England dug-out duo become rivals in FA Women's Cup final at Nottingham". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 March 2011.