Big news in the FA Women’s National League (WNL) Cup/Plate this season. The draw for the determining round has been made along with the announcement in relation to the prize money attached to both competitions.
The winners from the determining round will earn a place in the first round of the cup, while the losing team will participate in the plate competition.
You may have noticed from some club fixture announcements that the determining round will be held midweek this year. This scheduling change has significantly influenced the draw, resulting in numerous local derbies.
I have mixed feelings about this. While local derbies are great for capturing supporters’ attention, they also mean teams are often playing familiar opponents. The true magic of cup competitions lies in facing different and less familiar opposition.
The draw raises some questions about whether it even took place at all as many clubs appear to have been paired with their nearest neighbours, with the rest matched up subsequently.
Despite this, there are some exciting matchups. Notably, Norwich City will host Ipswich Town. Newly appointed Canaries boss Andy Cook will aim to make a statement with a significant win against their biggest rivals. Both teams are pushing hard to win their respective divisions this season and will be prioritizing this match.
All eyes will be on Real Bedford against MK Dons. Both clubs have undergone substantial changes this summer, with Bedford appointing Charlie Bill following his departure from MK Dons along with several players following Bill, with more potentially joining. A weakened Dons side will be desperate to avoid defeat.
AFC Bournemouth, a club that continues to invest heavily, will take on Moneyfields at their newly refurbished John Jenkins Stadium. The last time the pair met in the county cup competition last season, Bournemouth won on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regular time.
Overall, the upcoming matches promise excitement and fierce competition will all clubs looking to make it into the Cup competition so they can access the higher prize money.
Full Draw
All ties to be played the week commencing 26th Aug 2024 (KO 19.45)
Abingdon United v Oxford United
Actonians v London Bees
AFC Sudbury v Billericay Town
Barnsley FC v Barnsley Women
Boldmere St Michaels v Stourbridge
Bridgwater v Plymouth Argyle
Burnley v AFC Fylde
Chatham Town v Hashtag United
Chesham United v Watford
Chorley v Cheadle Town Stingers
Derby County v Loughborough Lightning
Exeter City v Portishead Town
Gwalia United v Bristol Rovers
Halifax v Leeds United
Huddersfield Town v Doncaster Rovers Belles
Hull City v Lincoln City
Leafield Athletic v Rugby Borough
Lewes v Worthing
Liverpool Feds v Stockport County
London Seaward v Dulwich Hamlet
Maidenhead United v Ashford Town (Middlesex)
Middlesbrough v Durham Cestria
Moneyfields v AFC Bournemouth
Northampton Town v Cambridge United
Norwich City v Ipswich Town
Nottingham Forest v Notts County
Peterborough v Lincoln United
QPR v AFC Wimbledon
Real Bedford v MK Dons
Solihull Moors v West Bromwich Albion
Southampton Women v Bournemouth Sports
Sporting Khalsa v Sutton Coldfield
Swindon Town v Keynsham Town
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stoke City
Worcester City v Cheltenham Town
York v Norton and Stockton Ancients
I have long advocated for the addition of prize money to the FA WNL. Introducing financial rewards would elevate the competition and provide clubs with a much-needed cash injection. This is a promising starting point, and with any luck, the competition will secure a sponsor next season, allowing for an increase in prize money.
| Round | Winning Club | Losing Club |
| Final | £4,000 | £1,000 |
| Semi Final | £2,000 | £500 |
| Quarter Final | £1,000 | £250 |
| Round Two | £500 | £125 |
| Round One | £400 | £100 |
| Round | Winning Club | Losing Club |
| Final | £2,000 | £500 |
| Semi Final | £1,000 | £250 |
| Quarter Final | £500 | £125 |
This season will see the introduction of Professional Game Academies (PGA) into the FA WNL Plate for next season.
It will be down to the individual PGAs as to whether they enter the competition or not but now they are at least eligible. I anticipate that the majority of clubs will enter as this will provide a good experience for the players and provide the clubs with a platform to showcase their young talent.
Professional Game Academy Licences are granted as part of the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) and Barclays Women’s Championship (WC) licence criteria. Clubs outside of the top two tiers will not be able to access this programme.
PGAs allow players to be part of a professional club programme that will combine football development with their education. The FA website states the system “focuses on players aged 14-20 (U15-U21s), who show potential, with a high-performance club training and playing environment that supports a dual career focus.”
Some have questioned the integrity of the competition and believe that this may hamper FA WNL clubs’ progression in ‘their’ competition. I understand the perception that FA WNL clubs may no longer progress into the latter rounds but PGA dominance is not a guarantee and the impact of this remains to be seen.
