Introduction
The English Football Association Cup, also known as the FA Cup, is a thrilling annual knockout competition in English football, featuring football clubs from all levels of the pyramid. The competition has been held annually since its inception in 1871 and is considered the oldest football competition in the world. This article provides a preview of the 2021-22 English FA Cup schedule.
Round Dates and Draw Schedule
The first round proper of the FA Cup is tentatively scheduled for the weekend of November 6-7, 2021. The second round proper is set to be held on December 4-5, 2021, while the third round proper, arguably the most anticipated round, is scheduled to take place between January 8-9, 2022. The fourth and fifth rounds will be played on January 29-30, 2022, and February 19-20, 2022, respectively. The quarter-finals are scheduled for March 12-13, 2022, with the semi-finals taking place on April 9-10, 2022. Finally, the FA Cup final is scheduled to be held on May 14, 2022, at Wembley Stadium, London.
The draw for the first round proper will be held on October 21, 2021. The second round draw is scheduled for November 8, 2021, while the third round draw will be held on December 6, 2021. The fourth and fifth round draws will take place on January 10, 2022, and January 31, 2022, respectively. The quarter-final draw is scheduled for February 21, 2022, with the semi-final draw taking place on March 14, 2022. The final draw, determining the home team for the final, will be held on May 2, 2022.
Format
The FA Cup is a knockout competition, involving a total of 736 teams from the fifth-tier National League down to the lower-level regional leagues. The 20 Premier League teams and the 24 Championship teams join the competition in the third round proper, while the Football League One and Football League Two teams enter in the first round. Non-league teams begin as early as the extra-preliminary round, with the surviving teams progressing through the preliminary round, first qualifying round, second qualifying round, third qualifying round, and fourth qualifying round.
All rounds of the competition are decided by a single match, with the winner progressing to the next round and the loser being eliminated from the competition. In the event of a draw, a replay will be held at the away team's stadium, with extra time and penalty shootouts deciding the winner if necessary.
Conclusion
The FA Cup is a historic and exciting competition, with plenty of unpredictability and drama along the way. With the 2021-22 schedule now released, football fans can eagerly anticipate the matches and drama that will unfold in this year's competition. The FA Cup always produces some of the most legendary moments in English football history, and this year is sure to be no different.
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