The fans have been heard, with the recent announcement of significant changes to the women's FA Cup. The FA has announced that it will pause the progression of the new format to complete additional consultations.
The FA had planned a series of radical changes aimed solely at boosting the commercial potential and creating more consistent, high-profile fixtures, e.g., by boosting the biggest clubs with the biggest fan bases.
The proposed plans were to seed the top four WSL teams from the previous season to prevent them from meeting until the semi-finals. For example, this season, Manchester United and Chelsea, who have met in two of the last three finals, faced off in the fifth round. They would also eliminate draw memories after the last 32, introduce a “road to Wembley” bracket similar to the Champions League or World Cup knockout stage, and finally review entry tiers for lower-league sides to restructure the early rounds.
The reason behind these changes, as they have explained, is to strengthen the competition's commercial potential. Increase the likelihood of consistent, high-quality matches in later rounds and ensure a clearer pathway to Wembley from the last 32.
The responses from fans and smaller clubs were all the same, even from the teams that would benefit from this reform.
Smallest clubs warned that the plan would widen the gap further, making it harder to achieve giant-killing moments.
Manchester City Women's, who would benefit as a top-four club, highlighted that the magic of drawing any opponent, home or away, is what makes the FA Cup unique.
Brighton fans argued that seeding elite-level teams would make the rich only richer, leaving lower-league clubs unable to compete.
“Ridiculous” and advocated that the WSL should enter earlier rounds were how Fulham women characterised this move.
While Everton criticised the proposal as “all about the money”, claiming it undermines the FA Cup’s Principles.
Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea manager, said: “I think that makes this competition really special. So, I would say my favourite thing, or the main thing, about this competition is facing everyone from the first round to the last stage. So, yeah, maybe I will be more of a fan of having a competition that doesn't protect anyone.”
Many fans describe this idea as favouring “super matches” between elite teams rather than sporting merit.
The FA heard the concerns and put all proposals on hold for the 2026-27 season, with the current format continuing with draws to beheld after each round. This, however, might not be the end, as they are just extending the consultation phase to gather more feedback from clubs, fans and stakeholders before considering any changes in the future.
The original plan was to submit a proposal to the board in April, following consultation in February and March. Still, that consultation has now been extended, and the earliest timeframe for any revamp could not be introduced till 2027/28.
This proposal juxtaposed that of the women's league cup revamp, which has removed the larger teams to ensure the growth of those lower down the football pyramid and allows smaller clubs to win trophies. But the ongoing debate is the competition's commercial growth, without the clubs with the biggest fan bases to attract sponsors. For the FA Cup, it is as much about tradition and the competition's historical significance as it is about fans wishing to uphold them.
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