The Football Association Women's Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England – designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier. The competition began in 1970–1971 as the Mitre Challenge Trophy, organised by the Women's Football Association (WFA). There were 71 entrants, including teams from Scotland and Wales.
Since the FA took over direct control of English women's football in 1993, the teams affiliated with male FA Premier League and Football League counterparts have dominated the re–branded competition. Arsenal won in on the 3rd May 2004 beating Charlton Athletic 3–0. On the 2nd May 2005 Charlton made amends for the disappointment of the two previous years by beating Everton 1–0. Arsenal regained the trophy on the 1st May 2006 beating Leeds United 5–0. Wins in 2007, 2008 and 2009 gave Arsenal a record ten titles and have gone on to win much more since then.
The FA Women's Cup (which often shared sponsorships with its men's equivalent FA Cup competition) was one of the first prestigious trophies to be made in the Thomas Lyte silver workshop.
As with the men's tournament, clubs from higher leagues do not have to enter at the early qualifying rounds. The current entry point after the league (Women's Premier League) restructuring is:
Media Coverage
In the late 1980s and early 1990s television coverage of the WFA final was provided by Channel 4. Between 2001–2008 the final of the tournament was covered by the BBC and presented by Celina Hinchcliffe. Rebecca Lowe, Ray Stubbs and Jake Humphrey. The punditry team was usually current players like Sue Scott and commentary usually by Steve Wilson and Lucy Ward or Faye White and always played on May Day Bank Holiday. The final was also simulcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. In 2009 the final was moved to ITV1 with commentary from Jon Champion and Lucy Ward. Sky Sports secured a 3 year deal for live coverage from 2010 to 2012. However when the Sky deal ended, the Women's FA Cup Final returned to BBC alongside the FA Cup as people had discontent that Sky broke away from having penalties and only showed games on the 'red button'. In the last 2 years coverage has been presented by Jacqui Oatley alongside Sue Smith, Faye White and Michael Grey with commentary by Jonathan Pearce and Lucy Ward.
Sponsorship
Sponsors of the original WFA competition (1970–1993)
• Mitre (the tournament was named the Mitre Trophy up to 1993)
• Pony Wines
• Mycil
Below is a list of the FA competition:
• 1995-1998 UK Living Magazine
• 1998-2002 AXA Insurance
• 2002-2006 Nationwide Building Society
• 2006-2011 E.ON (Power Company)
From 2007 Tesco obtained additional branding and advertising rights through their partnership agreement with the FA. Despite sponsorship by these major companies, entering the tournament actually cost clubs more than they got in prize money. In 2015 it was reported that even if Notts County had won the tournament outright the £8,600 winnings would leave them out of pocket. The winners of the men's FA Cup in the same year received £1.8 million, with teams not even reaching the first round proper getting more than the women's winners.
Since the FA took over direct control of English women's football in 1993, the teams affiliated with male FA Premier League and Football League counterparts have dominated the re–branded competition. Arsenal won in on the 3rd May 2004 beating Charlton Athletic 3–0. On the 2nd May 2005 Charlton made amends for the disappointment of the two previous years by beating Everton 1–0. Arsenal regained the trophy on the 1st May 2006 beating Leeds United 5–0. Wins in 2007, 2008 and 2009 gave Arsenal a record ten titles and have gone on to win much more since then.
The FA Women's Cup (which often shared sponsorships with its men's equivalent FA Cup competition) was one of the first prestigious trophies to be made in the Thomas Lyte silver workshop.
As with the men's tournament, clubs from higher leagues do not have to enter at the early qualifying rounds. The current entry point after the league (Women's Premier League) restructuring is:
- Entering at the 3rd qualifying round: FA Women's Premier League Division One (up to 48 teams)
- Entering at 2nd Round Proper: FA Women's Premier League North & South Divisions (24 teams)
- Entering at 3rd Round Proper: FA WSL 2 (10 teams)
- Entering at 5th Round Proper (Round of 16): FA WSL teams (8 teams)
Media Coverage
In the late 1980s and early 1990s television coverage of the WFA final was provided by Channel 4. Between 2001–2008 the final of the tournament was covered by the BBC and presented by Celina Hinchcliffe. Rebecca Lowe, Ray Stubbs and Jake Humphrey. The punditry team was usually current players like Sue Scott and commentary usually by Steve Wilson and Lucy Ward or Faye White and always played on May Day Bank Holiday. The final was also simulcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. In 2009 the final was moved to ITV1 with commentary from Jon Champion and Lucy Ward. Sky Sports secured a 3 year deal for live coverage from 2010 to 2012. However when the Sky deal ended, the Women's FA Cup Final returned to BBC alongside the FA Cup as people had discontent that Sky broke away from having penalties and only showed games on the 'red button'. In the last 2 years coverage has been presented by Jacqui Oatley alongside Sue Smith, Faye White and Michael Grey with commentary by Jonathan Pearce and Lucy Ward.
Sponsorship
Sponsors of the original WFA competition (1970–1993)
• Mitre (the tournament was named the Mitre Trophy up to 1993)
• Pony Wines
• Mycil
Below is a list of the FA competition:
• 1995-1998 UK Living Magazine
• 1998-2002 AXA Insurance
• 2002-2006 Nationwide Building Society
• 2006-2011 E.ON (Power Company)
From 2007 Tesco obtained additional branding and advertising rights through their partnership agreement with the FA. Despite sponsorship by these major companies, entering the tournament actually cost clubs more than they got in prize money. In 2015 it was reported that even if Notts County had won the tournament outright the £8,600 winnings would leave them out of pocket. The winners of the men's FA Cup in the same year received £1.8 million, with teams not even reaching the first round proper getting more than the women's winners.
List of Finals
1971 Southampton 4–1 Stewarton Thistle (Kilmarnock Ladies) Venue: Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
1972 Southampton 3–2 Lee's Ladies (Kilmarnock Ladies) Venue: Burton Albion Att: 1,500
1973 Southampton 2–0 Westhorn United Venue: Bedford Town FC Att: 3,000
1974 Fodens 2–1 Southampton Venue: Bedford Town
1975 Southampton 4–2 Warminster Venue: Dunstable Town
1976 Southampton 2–1 QPR (aet) Venue: Bedford Town Att: 1,500
1977 QPR 1–0 Southampton Venue: Dulwich Hamlet Att: 3,000
1978 Southampton 8–2 QPR Venue: Slough Town
1979 Southampton 1–0 Lowestoft Venue: Waterlooville Att: 1,200
1980 St. Helens 1–0 Preston North End (Fylde LFC)
1981 Southampton 4–2 St.Helens Venue: St.Helens RFC
1982 Lowestoft 2–0 Cleveland Spartans Venue: Queens Park Rangers
1983 Doncaster Belles 3–2 St.Helens Venue: Lincoln City
1984 Howbury Grange 4–2 Doncaster Belles Venue: Lincoln City
1985 Friends of Fulham (AFC Wimbledon LFC) 2–0 Doncaster Belles Venue: Fulham
1986 Norwich 4–3 Doncaster Belles Venue: Norwich City
1987 Doncaster Belles 2–0 St.Helens Venue: Nottingham Forest
1988 Doncaster Belles 3–1 Leasowe Pacific (Everton Ladies)
1989 Leasowe Pacific (Everton LFC) 3–2 Friends of Fulham (AFC Wimbledon LFC) Venue: Manchester United Att: 941
1990 Doncaster Belles 1–0 Friends of Fulham (AFC Wimbledon LFC) Venue: Derby County Att: 3,000
1991 Millwall 1–0 Doncaster Belles Venue: Tranmere Rovers Att:4,000
1992 Doncaster Belles 4–0 Red Star Southampton (Southampton Saints LFC) Venue: Tranmere Rovers
1993 Arsenal 3–0 Doncaster Belles Venue: Oxford United Att: 3,547
1994 Doncaster Belles 1–0 Knowsley United (Liverpool LFC) Venue: Scunthorpe United Att: 1,674
1995 Arsenal 3–2 Liverpool Venue: Scunthorpe United
1996 Croydon (Charlton Athletic) 1–1 (3–2 pens aet) Liverpool Venue: Millwall Att: 2,110
1997 Millwall 1–0 Wembley (Barnet) Venue: West Ham United Att: 3,015
1998 Arsenal 3–2 Croydon (Charlton Athletic) Venue: Millwall
1999 Arsenal 2–0 Southampton Saints Venue: Charlton Athletic Att: 6,450
2000 Croydon (Charlton Athletic) 2–1 Doncaster Belles Venue: Sheffield United Att: 3,434
2001 Arsenal 1–0 Fulham Venue: Crystal Palace Att: 13,824
2002 Fulham 2–1 Doncaster Belles Crystal Palace Att: 10,124
2003 Fulham 3–0 Charlton Athletic Venue: Crystal Palace Att: 10,389
2004 Arsenal 3–0 Charlton Athletic Venue: Queens Park Rangers Att: 12,244
2005 Charlton Athletic 1–0 Everton Venue: West Ham United Att: 8,567
2006 Arsenal 5–0 Leeds United Venue: Southampton Att: 13,452
2007 Arsenal 4–1 Charlton Athletic Venue: Nottigham Forest Att: 24,529
2008 Arsenal 4–1 Leeds United Venue: Nottingham Forest Att: 24,582
2009 Arsenal 2–1 Sunderland Venue: Derby County Att: 23,291
2010 Everton 3–2 Arsenal (aet) Venue: Nottingham Forest Att: 17,505
2011 Arsenal 2–0 Bristol Academy (Bristol City) Venue: Coventry City Att: 13,885
2012 Birmingham City 2–2 Chelsea (3-2 pens aet) Venue: Bristol City Att: 8,723
2013 Arsenal 3–0 Bristol Academy Venue: Doncaster Rover Att: 4,988
2014 Arsenal 2–0 Everton Venue: Milton Keynes Dons Att: 15,098
2015 Chelsea 1–0 Notts County Venue: Wembley Att: 30,710
2016 Arsenal 1–0 Chelsea Venue: Wembley Att: 32,912
2017 Manchester City 4-1 Birmingham City Venue: Wembley Att: 35,271
2018 Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal Venue: Wembley Att: 45,423
2019 Manchester City 3-0 West Ham United Venue: Wembley Att: 43,264
2020 FA Cup Abandoned
Note: between 2000-2008 the FA Cup winner played the FA Women's Premier League National Division winner for the FA Women's Community Shield.