Will this season's FA Cup see a new champion crowned? Judging by the current draw, a brand new name, or a team that hasn't touched the trophy in generations, could very well be etched onto this historic prize.
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04-01, 2025Crystal Palace is one of the teams eager to lift the FA Cup for the first time, having easily advanced to the semi-finals with a 3-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday. Nottingham Forest has also reached the final four, defeating Brighton in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals; their last triumph in this competition was back in 1959.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth is also eyeing their first FA Cup title, although they face a stern test against last year's Premier League champions and seven-time FA Cup winners, Manchester City, on Sunday. Additionally, Championship sides Preston and Aston Villa will meet in Sunday's match, each hoping to lift the trophy for the first time since 1938 and 1957, respectively.
Former Middlesbrough and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I think every team that's left in the draw will fancy their chances. Man City will be a very, very difficult opponent for Bournemouth, but if Bournemouth were to win that, then the draw opens up completely differently. It's a draw where a team could win their first major trophy, and certainly the FA Cup. I'm very excited about it."
Of course, a familiar champion could still emerge in this season's FA Cup, with seven-time winners Manchester City remaining highly competitive – three of those titles having been won since 2011. But if they are defeated by Bournemouth on Sunday, the final four will be without Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United – teams that have dominated the FA Cup trophy in recent decades.
Should Bournemouth pull off an upset against Manchester City, only Aston Villa would be comparable to the aforementioned powerhouses in terms of FA Cup titles among the remaining teams, although their seven titles all came before 1958. In reality, it hasn't been too long since a team that had never won the FA Cup, or hadn't won it in a long time, last lifted the trophy. Leicester City defeated Chelsea to win it four years ago.
However, Leicester City's victory is only the third time a team outside of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United has won the FA Cup since Everton won it 30 years ago. The other two were Wigan Athletic's surprising victory in 2013 and Portsmouth's five years earlier. The 2008 final was also the first without any of the aforementioned five Premier League teams since then, when Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth defeated Cardiff.
Former Everton midfielder, Fara Williams, said on Football Focus: "I think it could happen this season. If you look at how the Premier League has gone this season, there have been some real dark horses. You could potentially have two teams in the final this year that we haven't seen in recent years."
Preston is hoping to achieve a feat that no team has accomplished in 45 years – winning the FA Cup as a non-top-flight team. They have previously won it twice – in 1889 and 1938 – and were runners-up in 1964. The last team to win the competition while not in England's top division was West Ham United in 1980.
It will be a difficult task for Preston, especially considering Aston Villa is the first Premier League team they have encountered in the FA Cup, but their fans will believe something special could happen given the draw. Former Liverpool and Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock said on Football Focus: "It's going to be a huge challenge. The only thing is, if you can become really difficult to beat, be really organised, maybe get a wonder goal or a set-piece. I just don't see it happening."
Schwarzer added: "That's what the FA Cup is all about - being able to dream. [For] those clubs that maybe don't necessarily think they have an opportunity of winning the FA Cup, it's an opportunity, but they're in a great position now to potentially rewrite history."
