FA Cup Picks & Predictions
2024/25 FA Cup Predictions - Picks, Match Previews & Betting Tips
The FA Cup is the world’s most historic soccer competition and one of English football's most prestigious and coveted trophies. Compared to other competitions, it’s unique, as it’s open to every team in the English football pyramid. That means hundreds of teams take part every season. You can bet on all the action at Stake Sportsbook , and in this guide, we’ll share our top picks.
FA Cup History
The English Football Association (FA) was founded in 1863 to create unified rules for the sport of soccer. Before that point, rules of the game depended on where in the UK it was being played which made organizing matches very chaotic. After the FA was founded, it set about establishing a nationwide competition.
The original edition of the FA Cup took place in 1871, with a total of 15 teams and 13 games. However, the competition changed a lot in 1888 as more teams were invited, and the qualifying rounds were first introduced.
The game originally had a rule that any tie game must be replayed, leading to a record 6 replays between Alvechurch and Oxford City in 1971-72 qualification. Multiple replays were eventually scrapped from the competition, and replays are no longer possible from the first round onwards.
Although the tournament is held every season, it has had some breaks due to the First and Second World Wars. The finals and semi-finals of the FA Cup have historically been played at Wembley Stadium, a tradition that began with the 1923 FA Cup final.
2024/25 FA Cup Schedule
FA Cup Tournament Stage
First Round - Saturday, November 2 2024 – Clubs from League One and League Two enter.
Second Round - Saturday November 30 2024
Third Round - Saturday, January 11 2025 – Clubs from the Championship and Premier League enter.
Fourth Round - Saturday, February 8 2025
Fifth Round - Saturday, March 1 2025
FA Cup Final Stages
Quarter Final - Saturday, March 29 2025
Semi Final - Saturday, April 26 2025
Final - Saturday, May 17 2025
When & Where is the 2024/25 FA Cup?
The 2024/25 FA Cup begins with the qualifying rounds that begin on August 2 and last until October 12. The first round then gets underway from November 2.
The Championship and Premier League teams join the FA Cup in the third round, which kicks off on January 11 2025.
The 2025 FA Cup final is scheduled for May 17 and will take place at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
2024/25 FA Cup Predictions
The 2024-25 Premier League season looks set to be a three-way battle between Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. In the FA Cup, it’s likely that these 3 top teams will progress through to the quarterfinals at least. The trophy hasn’t been lifted by one team outside the top 6 in 10 years, with Arsenal (3), Manchester City (2) and Manchester United (2) having the most success in that time.
We predict that Arsenal will win the final against Manchester City, resulting in a record 15th FA Cup win for Arsenal.
2024/25 FA Cup Picks to Win
Manchester City – despite losing the final to their local rivals last season, Manchester City are still the favorites to lift the FA Cup in 2025. Pep Guardiola’s squad is stronger than ever this season, and striking sensation Erling Haaland looks unstoppable.
Arsenal – At the time of writing, Arsenal are second-favorites to win the FA Cup. They’ve lifted the historic trophy more times than any other team, and Mikel Arteta’s work has brought them to a new level in recent seasons. Players like Riccardo Calafiori have bolstered an already impressive defense.
Liverpool – Liverpool have replaced former head coach Jurgen Klopp with Arne Slot, who has so far looked like a perfect fit. Their squad is filled with talent such as Mohammed Salah, and they won the FA Cup as recently as 2020-21.
Chelsea – Chelsea reached 3 finals in a row between 2019-20 and 2021-22, losing all 3 matches. They haven’t won the FA Cup since 2017-18 and struggled in the league last year. However, they have a lot of quality players such as Cole Palmer, and it would be difficult to count them out.
Manchester United – Ever since Alex Ferguson left, Manchester United have been in disarray and their new owners don’t seem to have helped. Eric ten Hag joined the club as head coach to a lot of expectations. Although he won the FA Cup last season, the team’s performances have fallen short of the fans’ expectations.
Aston Villa – Aston Villa haven’t won the FA Cup since 1957, and the last time they reached a final was 10 years ago when they were beaten 4-0. However, they look incredibly strong under Unai Emery, with Ollie Watkins and John Duran in great form.
Tottenham Hotspur – Spurs haven’t won a trophy in over a decade, and their last FA Cup win was in 1991. Under Ange Postecoglou, they’ve adopted a new style of football with mixed fortunes. While they are considered one of the top 6, they’re an outsider to lift the trophy this season.
FA Cup Betting Tips, Odds & Previews
FA Cup futures – If you feel like betting on the winner of the FA Cup at the end of the season, the futures market lets you pick a team well in advance of the final. It’s worth noting that while smaller teams have much larger odds, the tournament is very rarely won by a team from outside the Big Six. Leicester beat Chelsea in the 2020-21 final, but before that was Wigan’s win over Manchester City in the 2013-14 season.
Fixture schedules – The FA Cup is the most historic competition in the world and is hugely important for a lot of teams. However, the busy fixture schedule means that many clubs will rest key players for FA Cup fixtures to focus on the league or European competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League . This can present betting opportunities, so keep an eye on team news before the match.
FA Cup parlays – Placing parlays on FA Cup fixtures is a big tradition in the UK, with a large number of games taking place during each round. When placing parlays, remember to choose your stake responsibly. You should also be realistic about the number of selections you add, as your chance of hitting a ten-fold parlay is significantly lower than a five-fold.
Types of Bets & How to Bet on FA Cup Matches
Placing a bet on FA Cup soccer is simple, but you can use our detailed betting guide for more information. Follow these quick steps to get started:
Create your account if you don’t already have one, then make a deposit.
Find FA Cup matches from the upcoming soccer page or use the search bar.
Select a match and then choose a betting market.
Enter your stake in the bet slip and confirm.
Watch the free live stream to enjoy the game.
There are lots of different ways to bet on soccer, and every FA Cup match has plenty of live and pre-live betting markets to choose from. Some of the most popular include:
Draw no bet
Asian handicap
Double chance
1st goal
Correct score
Both teams to score
Halftime/fulltime
Live Stream FA Cup Matches Online
FA Cup matches are available to watch free on Stake . You can log in and enjoy FA Cup live streams whenever there’s a match on, and they’re completely free. You can make the most of the l ive betting markets while you watch the game or simply tune in and enjoy the action.
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