The Women's FA Challenge Cup is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. 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). There were 71 entrants, including teams from Scotland and Wales.
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.
Arsenal holds the record for most titles overall, having won fourteen times. The current cup holders are Manchester City, who defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 4–0 in the 2026 final to win their fourth FA Cup title.
Name
The competition, founded in 1970, was sponsored as the Mitre Challenge Trophy until April 1976.
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,Examples of use in 1993: until 2015.Examples in 2011 and 2014: Examples in 2015: The name was officially reworded as the Women's FA Cup in June 2015, before that year's final. The tournament rules, as in the men's FA Cup, name it the Women's FA Challenge Cup.
History Previous national cup competitions included the English Ladies Football Association Challenge Cup in 1922, won by Stoke Ladies.
The first women's Mitre Challenge Trophy matches were played in 1970,"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." and the first final was held on 9 May 1971 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. The WFA was initially named the Ladies Football Association of Great Britain, 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.
Southampton Women's F.C. won eight of the first 11 WFA Cup competitions.
Doncaster Belles reached nearly every final between 1982–83 and 1993–94, and won the trophy six times.
Format The current entry points as of the 2024–25 season:
the second qualifying round for Tier 5 teams (92 teams) the third qualifying round for FA Women's National League Division One teams (48 teams) the second round proper for FA Women's National League North & South Premier Division teams (24 teams) the third round proper for Women's Championship teams (11 teams) the fourth round proper for Women's Super League teams (12 teams)
All other clubs enter in the first qualifying round.
Trophies
The original Mitre Challenge Trophy has "disappeared", according to the WFA History records. 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.
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.
The current Women's FA Cup trophy was one of the first prestigious trophies to be made in the Thomas Lyte silver workshop.FA Women's Cup Final comes to Wembley in August
List of finals The following is a list of Women's FA Cup seasons and final results.
Finalists are primarily clubs from England, unless denoted with for Scotland. Where a season's Final is marked in bold, it has a specific article for the match.
SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upScorersVenue1970–71(final)Southampton4–1 Stewarton Thistle Southampton: Davies (3), CassellStewarton: ReillyCrystal Palace National Sports Centre1971–72(final)Southampton3–2 Lee's LadiesSouthampton: Judd (2), LopezLee's: White, FerriesEton Park, Burton upon TrentAttendance: 1,5001972–73(final)Southampton2–0 Westthorn UnitedKenway 70', Hale 75'Bedford Town FCAttendance: 3,0001973–74(final)Fodens2–1SouthamptonFodens: Leatherbarrow (2)Southampton: DaviesBedford Town FCAttendance: 8001974–75(final)Southampton4–2WarminsterSouthampton: Chapman, Dickie, Davies, HaleWarminster: Foreman (2; 1 pen.)Dunstable Town FC1975–76(final)Southampton2–1 Queen's Park RangersSouthampton: M. Kirkland, DaviesQPR: McGroartyBedford Town FCAttendance: 1,5001976–77(final)Queen's Park Rangers1–0SouthamptonStaley 25'Champion Hill, East DulwichAttendance: 3,0001977–78(final)Southampton8–2Queen's Park RangersSouthampton: Davies, Lopez, Chapman (6)QPR: Choat, StaleyWexham Park Stadium, SloughAttendance: 2001978–79(final)Southampton1–0Lowestoft LadiesChapman 6'Waterlooville FCAttendance: 1,2001979–80(final)St Helens1–0Preston North EndHolland 75'Southbury Road, Enfield1980–81(final)Southampton4–2St HelensSouthampton: Chapman 12', 58', England 45', Carter 71'St Helens: Leatherbarrow 26', Ja. Turner 65'Knowsley Road, St HelensAttendance: 1,3521981–82(final)Lowestoft Ladies2–0Cleveland SpartansLinda Curl 26', Poppy 57'Loftus RoadAttendance: ~1,000Staged as a curtain-raiser to Queens Park Rangers' 1981–82 Football League Second Division fixture against Bolton Wanderers.1982–83(final)Doncaster Belles3–2St HelensDoncaster: Stocks (2), J. HansonSt Helens: Leatherbarrow, DeighanSincil Bank, LincolnAttendance: 1,5001983–84(final)Howbury Grange4–2Doncaster BellesHowbury: Baldeo (2), Springett (2)Doncaster: L. Hanson (2)Sincil Bank, Lincoln1984–85(final)Friends of Fulham2–0Doncaster BellesMcAdam 22', Hynes 25'Craven Cottage, FulhamAttendance: 1,5001985–86(final)Norwich City4–3Doncaster Belles Norwich: Curl 16', Colk 40', Jackson 50', Lawrence 80+2'Norwich Evening News, May 26, 2016, page 12Doncaster: J. Hanson 26', Walker 27', 75'Carrow Road, Norwich1986–87(final)Doncaster Belles2–0St HelensSherrard 12', Walker 80'City Ground, Nottingham1987–88(final)Doncaster Belles3–1Leasowe PacificDoncaster: Walker, Coultard, SherrardLeasowe: Jackson (pen.)Gresty Road, CreweAttendance: 8001988–89(final)Leasowe Pacific3–2Friends of FulhamLeasowe: Murray 7', Thomas 47', McQuiggan 65'Fulham: Powell 8', 40'Old Trafford, ManchesterAttendance: 9411989–90(final)Doncaster Belles1–0Friends of FulhamCoultard 61'Baseball GroundAttendance: 3,0001990–91(final)Millwall Lionesses1–0Doncaster BellesBaldeo 65'Prenton ParkAttendance:4,0001991–92(final)Doncaster Belles4–0Red Star SouthamptonCoultard 38', Walker 47', 65' 78'Prenton ParkAttendance:2501992–93(final)Arsenal3–0Doncaster BellesCurley 45', Ball 45', Bampton 80'Manor Ground, OxfordAttendance: 3,5471993–94(final)Doncaster Belles1–0Knowsley UnitedWalker 38'Glanford ParkAttendance: 1,6741994–95(final)Arsenal3–2LiverpoolArsenal: Lonergan 36', 55', Spacey 81'Liverpool: Burke 24', 41'Prenton Park1995–96(final)Croydon1–1 3–2 LiverpoolLiverpool: Burke 22'Croydon: Powell 38'The New DenAttendance: 2,1101996–97(final)Millwall Lionesses1–0WembleyWaller 51'Upton ParkAttendance: 3,0151997–98(final)Arsenal3–2CroydonArsenal: Spacey 17', Yankey 52', Few 90+3'Croydon: Broadhurst (pen.) 10', Powell 55'The New Den1998–99(final)Arsenal2–0Southampton SaintsHayes (o.g.) 14', Wheatley 41'The ValleyAttendance: 6,4501999–2000(final)Croydon2–1Doncaster BellesCroydon: C.Walker 40', Hunt 67'Doncaster: Exley 40'Bramall LaneAttendance: 3,4342000–01(final)Arsenal1–0FulhamBanks 52'Selhurst ParkAttendance: 13,8242001–02(final)Fulham2–1Doncaster BellesFulham: Yankey 55', Chapman 56'Doncaster: Handley 58'Selhurst ParkAttendance: 10,1242002–03(final)Fulham3–0Charlton AthleticMoore 18', Hills (o.g.) 36', Williams (o.g.) 61'Selhurst ParkAttendance: 10,3892003–04(final)Arsenal3–0Charlton AthleticFleeting 23', 25', 83'Loftus RoadAttendance: 12,2442004–05(final)Charlton Athletic1–0EvertonAluko 58'Upton ParkAttendance: 8,5672005–06(final)Arsenal5–0Leeds UnitedWard (o.g.) 3', Fleeting 34', Yankey 35', Smith (pen.) 73', Sanderson 77'The New DenAttendance: 13,4522006–07(final)Arsenal4–1Charlton AthleticCharlton: Holtham 2'Arsenal: Smith 7', 80', Ludlow 15', 45'City GroundAttendance: 24,5292007–08(final)Arsenal4–1Leeds UnitedArsenal: Smith 54', 83', Ludlow 59', Sanderson 60'Leeds: Clarke 69'City GroundAttendance: 24,5822008–09(final)Arsenal2–1SunderlandArsenal: Chapman 32', Little 90'Sunderland: McDougall 90'Pride Park StadiumAttendance: 23,2912009–10(final)Everton3–2 ArsenalArsenal: Little (pen.) 43', Fleeting 54'Everton: Dowie 16', 119', White (o.g.) 45+2'City GroundAttendance: 17,5052010–11(final)Arsenal2–0Bristol AcademyLittle 19', Fleeting 32'Ricoh ArenaAttendance: 13,8852011–12(final)Birmingham City2–2 ChelseaBirmingham City: Williams 90', Carney 111'Chelsea: Lander 69', Longhurst 101' Ashton GateAttendance: 8,7232012–13(final)Arsenal3–0 Bristol Academy Houghton 2', Nobbs 72', White 90' Keepmoat StadiumAttendance: 4,9882013–14(final)Arsenal2–0 Everton Smith 15', Kinga 61' Stadium MKAttendance: 15,0982014–15(final)Chelsea1–0 Notts County Ji So-yun 39' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 30,7102015–16(final)Arsenal1–0Chelsea Carter 18' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 32,9122016–17(final)Manchester City4–1Birmingham City Manchester City: Bronze 18', Christiansen 25', Lloyd 32', Scott 80'Birmingham City: Wellings 73' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 35,271 2017–18(final) Chelsea 3–1 Arsenal Chelsea: Bachmann 48', 60', Kirby 76'Arsenal: Miedema 73' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 45,423 2018–19(final) Manchester City 3–0 West Ham United Walsh 52', Stanway 81', Hemp 88' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 43,264 2019–20(final) Manchester City 3–1 Everton Manchester City: Mewis 40', Stanway 111', Beckie 120+2'Everton: Gauvin 60' Wembley StadiumBehind closed doors (COVID-19 pandemic) 2020–21(final) Chelsea 3–0 Arsenal Kirby 3', Kerr 57', 77' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 40,942 2021–22(final) Chelsea 3–2 Manchester City Chelsea: Kerr 33', 99', Cuthbert 63'Manchester City: Hemp 42', Raso 89' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 49,094 2022–23(final) Chelsea 1–0 Manchester United Kerr 68' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 77,390 2023–24(final) Manchester United 4–0 Tottenham Hotspur Toone 45+3', Williams 54', García 57', 74' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 76,082 2024–25(final) Chelsea 3–0 Manchester United Baltimore 45' (pen.), 90+1', Macario 84' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 74,412 2025–26(final) Manchester City 4–0 Brighton & Hove Albion Shaw 38', Greenwood 45+6', Fujino 66', Miedema 87' Wembley StadiumAttendance: 43,917
Results by team