The Women's FA Challenge Cup[1] is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football.[2][3] 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).[4] There were 71 entrants, including teams from Scotland and Wales.[5]
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.[6]
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.[8]
As a Women's Football Association competition until 1992–93, it was known as the WFA Cup or more informally as the Women's FA Cup. After the running of the competition passed to the FA in 1993–94, the Association renamed it as the FA Women's Cup,[9][10] until 2015.[11][12] The name was officially reworded as the Women's FA Cup in June 2015,[13] before that year's final.[14][15] The tournament rules, as in the men's FA Cup, name it the Women's FA Challenge Cup.[1]
The first women's Mitre Challenge Trophy matches were played in 1970,[16] and the first final was held on 9 May 1971 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.[8] The WFA was initially named the Ladies Football Association of Great Britain,[8] and Scottish clubs were successful in reaching the first three finals of this tournament (albeit as runners-up). Two of these clubs were runners-up in England while also winning the Scottish Women's Cup in the same season, Stewarton Thistle in 1971 and Westthorn United in 1973.
All other clubs enter in the First Qualifying round.
Trophies
The original Mitre Challenge Trophy has "disappeared", according to the WFA History records.[8] This cup was replaced in May 1979 when the Football Association donated a new trophy for the competition's winners, to mark the WFA's tenth anniversary.[8]
1970–71 cup winner Sue Lopez said it was suspected that a player "tucked it away somewhere in a trophy cabinet", and she was trying to locate the original cup for the National Football Museum in 2015.[18]
The current Women's FA Cup trophy was one of the first prestigious trophies to be made in the Thomas Lyte silver workshop.[19]
In the late 1980s[26] and early 1990s,[27] 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 moved to ITV1, with commentary from Jon Champion and Lucy Ward. Sky Sports secured a three-year deal for live coverage from 2010 until 2012.[28]
Sponsorship
Sponsors of the original WFA competition (1970–1993) included Mitre,[4] Pony wines and Mycil.[27]
In the FA competition, the sponsors have been UK Living (1995–1998), AXA (1998–2002), Nationwide Building Society (2002–2006) and E.ON[29][30] (2006–2011). From 2007, Tesco obtained additional branding and advertising rights through their partnership agreement with the FA.[31]
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.[32] 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.[33]
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.[34]
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.[35]
^ abcdef"The WFA Cup". History of the Women's Football Association. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
^Examples of use in 1993: "■ FA SUNDAY CUP". Sandwell Evening Mail. 19 November 1993. p. 69. Retrieved 6 October 2020. "Derby day for ladies". Hammersmith & Shepherds Bush Gazette. 3 December 1993. p. 73. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
^"And on the following Sunday [1 November] the Lichfield girls visit Leicester City Supporters L.F.C. in the All British Ladies' F.A. Cup." "PALACE". Lichfield Mercury. 23 October 1970. p. 20. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
