Editing FA Cup (section)

==History==
{{See also|History of the FA Cup}}
[[File:FACupFinal1905NewcastleVilla.jpg|thumb|[[Harry Hampton (footballer, born 1885)|Harry Hampton]] scores one of his two goals in the [[1905 FA Cup final]], when [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] defeated [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]]]
In 1863, the newly founded [[The Football Association|Football Association]] (the FA) published the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]] of Association Football, unifying the various different rules in use before then. On 20 July 1871, in the offices of [[The Sportsman (1865 newspaper)|''The Sportsman'' newspaper]], the FA Secretary [[C. W. Alcock]] proposed to the FA committee that "it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete". The [[1871–72 FA Cup|inaugural FA Cup tournament]] kicked off in November 1871. After thirteen games in all, [[Wanderers F.C.|Wanderers]] were crowned the winners in [[1872 FA Cup Final|the final]], on 16 March 1872. Wanderers retained the trophy the [[1872–73 FA Cup|following year]]. The modern cup was beginning to be established by the [[1888–89 FA Cup|1888–89 season]], when qualifying rounds were introduced.<ref>{{cite book |last=Collett |first=Mike |title=The Complete Record of The FA Cup |year=2003 |isbn=1-899807-19-5 |page=878 |publisher=SportsBooks Limited }}</ref>

Following the [[1914–15 FA Cup|1914–15]] edition, the competition was suspended in mid air due to the [[World War I|First World War]], and did not resume until [[1919–20 FA Cup|1919–20]]. The [[1923 FA Cup Final]], commonly known as the "White Horse Final", was the first final to be played in the newly opened [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] (known at the time as the Empire Stadium). The [[1927 FA Cup Final|1927 final]] saw "[[Abide with Me]]" being sung for the first time at the Cup final, which has become a pre-match tradition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cup final competition for fans|url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/fa-cup-competition-songs-of-praise-fa-cup-choir-2227569.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129053100/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/fa-cup-competition-songs-of-praise-fa-cup-choir-2227569.aspx|archive-date=29 January 2015|publisher=Reading FC|access-date=6 April 2016|date=26 January 2015}}</ref> Due to the outbreak of [[World War II]], the competition was not played between the [[1938–39 FA Cup|1938–39]] and [[1945–46 FA Cup|1945–46]] editions. Because of the wartime breaks, the hundredth tournament did not take place until [[1980–81 FA Cup|1980–81]].

After some confusion over the rules in its first competition, the FA decided that any drawn match would lead to a [[replay (sports)|replay]], with teams competing in further replays until a game was eventually won.<ref name="replay history">{{cite web |title=A Brief History of FA Cup Replays |date=7 February 2020 |url=https://facupfactfile.wordpress.com/2020/02/07/a-brief-history-of-fa-cup-replays/ |publisher=FA Cup Factfile |access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref> [[Alvechurch F.C.|Alvechurch]] and [[Oxford City F.C.|Oxford City]] contested the most replayed tie in the [[1971–72 FA Cup qualifying rounds|1971–72 qualification]], in a tie which went to 6 matches.<ref name="replay history" /> Multiple replays were scrapped for the competition proper in 1991–92, and the qualifying rounds in 1997–98.<ref name="replay history" /> Replays were removed altogether from the [[FA Cup semi-finals|semi-final]] and final matches in 2000, from the quarter-finals in 2016–17, the fifth round in 2019–20<ref name="replay history" /> and the first round onwards from 2024 to 2025.<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--not stated-->| title=FA Cup replays scrapped: The Football Association says 'all parties accepted' decision|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68856480|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=19 April 2024|access-date=13 May 2024}}</ref>

Redevelopment of Wembley saw the final played outside of England for the first time, the [[2001 FA Cup Final|2001]]–[[2006 FA Cup Final|2006]] finals being played at the [[Millennium Stadium]] in [[Cardiff]]. The final returned to Wembley in [[2007 FA Cup Final|2007]], followed by the semi-finals from 2008.