The Women's FA Challenge Cup 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). There were 71 entrants, including teams from Scotland and Wales.
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.
Arsenal holds the record for most titles overall, having won fourteen times. The current cup holders are Manchester City, who defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 4–0 in the 2026 final to win their fourth FA Cup title.
Name
thumb|300px|[[Everton F.C. (women)|Everton players with the FA Women's Cup trophy in 2010]]
The competition, founded in 1970, was sponsored as the Mitre Challenge Trophy until April 1976. until 2015. The name was officially reworded as the Women's FA Cup in June 2015, before that year's final. The tournament rules, as in the men's FA Cup, name it the Women's FA Challenge Cup.
History
Previous national cup competitions included the English Ladies Football Association Challenge Cup in 1922, won by Stoke Ladies.
The first women's Mitre Challenge Trophy matches were played in 1970, and the first final was held on 9 May 1971 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. The WFA was initially named the Ladies Football Association of Great Britain,
Format
The current entry points as of the 2024–25 season:
- the second qualifying round for Tier 5 teams (92 teams)
- the third qualifying round for FA Women's National League Division One teams (48 teams)
- the second round proper for FA Women's National League North & South Premier Division teams (24 teams)
- the third round proper for Women's Championship teams (11 teams)
- the fourth round proper for Women's Super League teams (12 teams)
All other clubs enter in the first qualifying round.
Trophies
thumb|Women's FA Cup (left) trophy on display beside the men's trophy (right).
The original Mitre Challenge Trophy has "disappeared", according to the WFA History records.
The current Women's FA Cup trophy was one of the first prestigious trophies to be made in the Thomas Lyte silver workshop.
List of finals
The following is a list of Women's FA Cup seasons and final results.
:Finalists are primarily clubs from England, unless denoted with for Scotland.
:Where a season's Final is marked in bold, it has a specific article for the match.
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!style="text-align: center"| Season
!width=140px |Winners
!width=60px |Score
!width=140px |Runners-up
!Scorers
!Venue
|-
|1970–71<br />(final)
|Southampton
|4–1
| Stewarton Thistle
|Southampton: Davies (3), Cassell<br />Stewarton: Reilly
|Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
|-
|1971–72<br />(final)
|Southampton
|3–2
| Lee's Ladies
|Southampton: Judd (2), Lopez<br />Lee's: White, Ferries
|Eton Park, Burton upon Trent<br />Attendance: 1,500
|-
|1972–73<br />(final)
|Southampton
|2–0
| Westthorn United
|Kenway 70', Hale 75'
|Bedford Town FC<br />Attendance: 3,000
|-
|1973–74<br />(final)
|Fodens
|2–1
|Southampton
|Fodens: Leatherbarrow (2)<br />Southampton: Davies
|Bedford Town FC<br />Attendance: 800
|-
|1974–75<br />(final)
|Southampton
|4–2
|Warminster
|Southampton: Chapman, Dickie, Davies, Hale<br />Warminster: Foreman (2; 1 pen.)
|Dunstable Town FC
|-
|1975–76<br />(final)
|Southampton
|2–1
|Queen's Park Rangers
|Southampton: M. Kirkland, Davies<br />QPR: McGroarty
|Bedford Town FC<br />Attendance: 1,500
|-
|1976–77<br />(final)
|Queen's Park Rangers
|1–0
|Southampton
|Staley 25'
|Champion Hill, East Dulwich<br />Attendance: 3,000
|-
|1977–78<br />(final)
|Southampton
|8–2
|Queen's Park Rangers
|Southampton: Davies, Lopez, Chapman (6)
|-
|1982–83<br />(final)
|Doncaster Belles
|3–2
|St Helens
|Doncaster: Stocks (2), J. Hanson<br />St Helens: Leatherbarrow, Deighan
|Sincil Bank, Lincoln<br />Attendance: 1,500
|-
|1983–84<br />(final)
|Howbury Grange
|4–2
|Doncaster Belles
|Howbury: Baldeo (2), Springett (2)<br />Doncaster: L. Hanson (2)
|Sincil Bank, Lincoln
|-
|1984–85<br />(final)
|Friends of Fulham
|2–0
|Doncaster Belles
|McAdam 22', Hynes 25'
|Craven Cottage, Fulham<br />Attendance: 1,500
|-
|1985–86<br />(final)
|Norwich City
|4–3
|Doncaster Belles
| Norwich: Curl 16', Colk 40', Jackson 50', Lawrence 80+2'<br />Doncaster: J. Hanson 26', Walker 27', 75'
|Carrow Road, Norwich
|-
|2010–11<br />(final)
|Arsenal
|2–0
|Bristol Academy
|Little 19', Fleeting 32'
|Ricoh Arena<br />Attendance: 13,885
|-
|2011–12<br />(final)
|Birmingham City
|2–2 <br />
|Chelsea
|Birmingham City: Williams 90', Carney 111'<br />Chelsea: Lander 69', Longhurst 101'
|Ashton Gate<br />Attendance: 8,723
|-
|2012–13<br />(final)
|Arsenal
|3–0
|Bristol Academy
| Houghton 2', Nobbs 72', White 90'
| Keepmoat Stadium<br />Attendance: 4,988
|-
|2013–14<br />(final)
|Arsenal
|2–0
|Everton
| Smith 15', Kinga 61'
| Stadium MK<br />Attendance: 15,098
|-
|2014–15<br />(final)
|Chelsea
|1–0
|Notts County
| Ji So-yun 39'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 30,710
|-
|2015–16<br />(final)
|Arsenal
|1–0
|Chelsea
| Carter 18'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 32,912
|-
|2016–17<br />(final)
|Manchester City
|4–1
|Birmingham City
| Manchester City: Bronze 18', Christiansen 25', Lloyd 32', Scott 80'<br />Birmingham City: Wellings 73'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 35,271
|-
| 2017–18<br />(final)
| Chelsea
| 3–1
| Arsenal
| Chelsea: Bachmann 48', 60', Kirby 76'<br />Arsenal: Miedema 73'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 45,423
|-
| 2018–19<br />(final)
| Manchester City
| 3–0
| West Ham United
| Walsh 52', Stanway 81', Hemp 88'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 43,264
|-
| 2019–20<br />(final)
| Manchester City
| 3–1
| Everton
| Manchester City: Mewis 40', Stanway 111', Beckie 120+2'<br />Everton: Gauvin 60'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Behind closed doors (COVID-19 pandemic)
|-
| 2020–21<br />(final)
| Chelsea
| 3–0
| Arsenal
| Kirby 3', Kerr 57', 77'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 40,942
|-
| 2021–22<br />(final)
| Chelsea
| 3–2
| Manchester City
| Chelsea: Kerr 33', 99', Cuthbert 63'<br />Manchester City: Hemp 42', Raso 89'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 49,094
|-
| 2022–23<br />(final)
| Chelsea
| 1–0
| Manchester United
| Kerr 68'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 77,390
|-
| 2023–24<br />(final)
| Manchester United
| 4–0
| Tottenham Hotspur
| Toone 45+3', Williams 54', García 57', 74'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 76,082
|-
| 2024–25<br />(final)
| Chelsea
| 3–0
| Manchester United
| Baltimore 45' (pen.), 90+1', Macario 84'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 74,412
|-
| 2025–26<br />(final)
| Manchester City
| 4–0
| Brighton & Hove Albion
| Shaw 38', Greenwood 45+6', Fujino 66', Miedema 87'
| Wembley Stadium<br />Attendance: 43,917
|}
Results by team
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Performances in the Women's FA Cup by club
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | Title(s)
! scope="col" | Runners-up
! scope="col" | Seasons won
! scope="col" | Seasons runner-up
|-
| Arsenal
|
|
| 1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16
| 2009–10, 2017–18, 2020–21
|-
| Southampton Women's
|
|
| 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1980–81
| 1973–74, 1976–77
|-
| Doncaster Belles
|
|
| 1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94
| 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1999–2000, 2001–02
|-
| Chelsea
|
|
| 2014–15, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
| 2011–12, 2015–16
|-
| Manchester City
|
|
| 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2025–26
| 2021–22
|-
| Croydon/<wbr />Charlton Athletic
|
|
| 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2004–05
| 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07
|-
| Leasowe Pacific/<wbr />Everton
|
|
| 1988–89, 2009–10
| 1987–88, 2004–05, 2013–14, 2019–20
|-
| Fulham
|
|
| 2001–02, 2002–03
| 2000–01
|-
| Millwall Lionesses
|
|
| 1990–91, 1996–97
| —
|-
| St Helens
|
|
| 1979–80
| 1980–81, 1982–83, 1986–87
|-
| |Queen's Park Rangers
|
|
| 1976–77
| 1975–76, 1977–78
|-
| Friends of Fulham
|
|
| 1984–85
| 1988–89, 1989–90
|-
| Manchester United
|
|
| 2023–24
| 2022–23, 2024–25
|-
|Lowestoft Ladies
|
|
| 1981–82
| 1978–79
|-
| Birmingham City
|
|
| 2011–12
| 2016–17
|-
|Fodens
|
|
| 1973–74
| —
|-
| Howbury Grange
|
|
| 1983–84
| —
|-
|Norwich City
|
|
| 1985–86
| —
|-
| Knowsley United/<wbr />Liverpool
|
|
| —
| 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96
|-
| Stewarton & Thistle/<br />Lee's Ladies and early 1990s, television coverage of the WFA final was provided by Channel 4.
Between 2001 and 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 the May Day bank holiday. The final was also simulcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. In 2009, the final was shown on most of the stations in the ITV1 network, with commentary from Jon Champion and Lucy Ward. Sky Sports secured a three-year deal for live coverage from 2010 until 2012.
The BBC then picked up the rights in 2013 and that lasted until 2025.
On 16 May 2025, the FA officially announced that coverage would be moved to TNT Sports and also make a return to Channel 4. Under the deal, which lasts until the 2027–28 season, TNT Sports will air 19 matches including one match in the first round and one in the second round for the first time in history. Channel 4 will televise one match per round starting in the third round, with all five of Channel 4's selected matches, and the Final also airing on TNT Sports, with both broadcasters having their own presenters, pundits and commentary teams.
International
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Territory
!Network
|-
| Unsold markets
| YouTube
|-
|
|Stan Sport
|-
|
| rowspan="3" | DAZN
|-
|
|-
|
|-
| Caribbean
| Rush Sports
|-
|
| Zona Sport
|-
|
| rowspan="4" | Sporty TV
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|Persiana Sports
|-
|
|Charlton
|-
|
|U-Next
|-
| Latin America
| ESPN
|-
|
|VG
|-
|
|Polsat Sport
|-
|
|Movistar Plus+
|-
|
|CBS Sports
|}
Sponsorship
Sponsors of the original WFA competition (1970–1993) included Mitre, (2006–2011). 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 has actually cost clubs more than they often get in prize money. In 2015 it was reported that even if Notts County had won the tournament outright the paltry £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.
In September 2020, the FA announced that health and life insurance and investment company VitalityHealth had signed a deal to become the sponsor of the competition until July 2023.
In November 2023, after three years with Vitality, the FA announced that Adobe Inc. would become the sponsor of the competition for three years, through to July 2026. The partnership would focus on "increasing fan engagement and raising the profile of the competition". In addition, all 460 clubs that participate in the competition would gain access to, and training on Adobe Express, a graphic design tool.