[foreverfree]

Hope that wasn't too confusing!

It wasn't. But I forgot to ask about the setup of the FA Cup. How does that work?

foreverfree

[di_canio_volley]

The FA cup is for all teams that belong to the Football Association of England/Wales ,and operates on a single-game knockout basis (unlike European competitions where the teams play home & away and the result is based on aggregate scores over two games).

In the FA cup, teams like to get home advantage. All ties are by random draw, there is no seeding. The only games played at neutral venues are the semi finals & final.

The various amateur and semi-professional teams play qualifying rounds to get into the first round proper of the FA cup, where they are joined by professional teams from the Nationwide 2nd & 3rd divisions.

Teams from the Nationwide first division, and the premiership, join the competition in the 3rd round (64 teams at this stage).

Then the competition goes: 4th round
5th round
Q/Final
S/Final
Final.