News: Women’s FA Cup To Resume This Month

Photo: @VitalityWFACup

I am really excited to share the return of the Women’s FA Cup later this month. I would have expected this news to be shared at the same time as the FA reveal the outcome of the 2020/21 season for the “non-elite” tiers of women’s football but we’re not complaining!

The competition was paused in January at the second round after the country went into its third lockdown, with all “non-elite” football suspended as a result. Following the Government’s recent roadmap announcement which will see the safe return of grassroots football from March 29th, the 2020-21 Vitality Women’s FA Cup will recommence at the end of this month, with outstanding ties to be played on March 31st.

It isn’t quite ideal that clubs will get two training sessions to prepare at most, although at least all clubs are in the same position if that is any consultation at all?

With the recent announcement that the suspension will be lifted in a few weeks, the FA now in a position to reschedule the first four rounds of the competition – with one tie still to be played in the first round proper and 17 in the second round proper, before the third and fourth rounds can be played.

Following the fifth round, up to three rounds, including the Final at Wembley Stadium, can be completed next season with dates to be confirmed.

The rescheduled dates – subject to ongoing Government guidance as we follow the roadmap out of lockdown are:
First round – 31 March 2021
Second round – 4 April 2021
Third round – 11 April 2021
Fourth round – 18 April 2021

To ensure clubs can plan and prepare for their upcoming ties, the draws for the third and fourth rounds have been made.

Third Round

Huddersfield Town v Brighouse Town  or Newcastle United 
Middlesbrough v Stoke City or Wem Town or Hull City
Burnley v Sunderland or Sheffield FC or Fylde
Cardiff City v Billericay Town or Ipswich Town or Oxford United 
West Bromwich Albion v Loughborough Foxes or Lincoln City or Derby County 
Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers or MK Dons or Nottingham Forest 
Portsmouth v Crawley Wasps or Gillingham or Cheltenham Town
Southampton FC v Keynsham Town or Yeovil United or Plymouth Argyle
Hounslow v Chichester & Selsey Ladies or Kent Football United or Leyton Orient or Enfield Town

Photo: @VitalityWFACup

Fourth Round

1 Leicester City v Liverpool
2 Middlesbrough v Sheffield United or Hull City or Stoke City or Wem Town 
3 Birmingham City v Coventry United
4 Burnley v Manchester United or Fylde or Sunderland or Sheffield FC
5 Everton FC Women v Durham Women FC
6 Manchester City v Aston Villa 
7 Watford v Blackburn Rovers or MK Dons or Wolverhampton Wanderers or Nottingham Forest 
8 Huddersfield Town v West Bromwich Albion or Lincoln City or Brighouse Town or Loughborough Foxes or Newcastle United or Derby County
9 Reading v Tottenham Hotspur
10 Cardiff City v Charlton Athletic or Oxford United or Billericay Town or Ipswich Town
11 Arsenal v Portsmouth or Cheltenham Town or Crawley Wasps or Gillingham
12 Chelsea v London City Lionesses
13 Lewes v Southampton FC or Plymouth Argyle or Keynsham Town or Yeovil United
14 Brighton & Hove Albion v Bristol City
15 West Ham United v Hounslow or Leyton Orient or Chichester & Selsey or Kent Football United or Enfield Town
16 Crystal Palace v London Bees

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