Date: November to May
Rights available: 2008-2009 (until 2011-2012)
Host Country: England
Frequency of tournament: annual
Number of matches: 60 (59 FA Cup matches and 1 Community Shield)
History
The F.A. Cup is the oldest football competition in the world. Also known as the England Cup, the first tournament took place in 1871.
In the early years of the F.A. Cup, in addition to English teams, clubs from Scotland, Ireland and Wales took part in the competition, having at one point 687 teams competing in a single year.
The 2007/2008 season will have a record of 731 clubs, 20 of them from the Premier League. They join the competition in its third round during the month of January.
The F.A. Cup champion will advance to the UEFA Cup; If the team has already qualified as a finalist in the Champions League, the runner-up automatically qualifies.
Manchester United, has won eleven cups in total the most for any club, they won the last one in 2004. In 2007, Manchester had the chance of winning its 12th title, but fell in the final to Chelsea playing at the new Wembley stadium.
In 2008, Portsmouth conquered the trophy after defeating Cardiff City in the final.
In 2009, Chelsea once again reached the final. The london club defeated Everton and received their fifth FA Cup trophy. In the next edition they will work hard to hold their title for another season, since the F.A. Cup has a sentimental and historical value for any British club.
