FA Cup importance?

[Praying Colonel]

This is my first full season following EPL soccer and also getting into the FA Cup. How important is the FA Cup considered in England?

As I understand it, you have blind draws each round to see which teams play each other? I was watching the replay of the 4th round draw last night and was half-expecting Liverpool to draw Tottenham or Man City after just having played Arsenal. Thankfully, no.

If it's a blind draw before each round, that's a pretty interesting way to jumble things around. I'm imagining the NCAA tournament with a blind draw before each round. It would totally mess up our bracket challenges, but would make for an interesting tournament, too.

 

[1420Elexismc]

@Buzz Rules this has you written all over it!
I follow soccer heavily in general, but don't know the ins and outs of all the tournaments

 

[Skippyboo]

It’s important because all the levels are involved so you can have a lower league team hosting a Premier league team. The FA Cup final is held in Wembley in the spring. Probably most important domestic tournament.

So say in College Football terms, Alabama playing at William and Mary.

 

[soccerdad72]

Skippyboo covered it pretty well - it's essentially the UK's national championship for professional club soccer teams.

I would say, in some of these earlier rounds, it's likely that the EPL teams would put a second team out there for a match, thus preserving the health of their star players for league games, Champions League matches and later round matches. A club like Liverpool can generally beat a 2nd or 3rd division team (or Wrexham ) with a reserve squad.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I have to say(as a Man City fan) it's been great some of the younger players out there and get some playing time in this tournament!

 

[Buzz Rules]

This is my first full season following EPL soccer and also getting into the FA Cup. How important is the FA Cup considered in England?

As I understand it, you have blind draws each round to see which teams play each other? I was watching the replay of the 4th round draw last night and was half-expecting Liverpool to draw Tottenham or Man City after just having played Arsenal. Thankfully, no.

If it's a blind draw before each round, that's a pretty interesting way to jumble things around. I'm imagining the NCAA tournament with a blind draw before each round. It would totally mess up our bracket challenges, but would make for an interesting tournament, too.

Brb.

 

[Buzz Rules]

 

[Buzz Rules]

The US also has their own version:

 

[Buzz Rules]

This is my first full season following EPL soccer and also getting into the FA Cup. How important is the FA Cup considered in England?

As I understand it, you have blind draws each round to see which teams play each other? I was watching the replay of the 4th round draw last night and was half-expecting Liverpool to draw Tottenham or Man City after just having played Arsenal. Thankfully, no.

If it's a blind draw before each round, that's a pretty interesting way to jumble things around. I'm imagining the NCAA tournament with a blind draw before each round. It would totally mess up our bracket challenges, but would make for an interesting tournament, too.

 

[Praying Colonel]

OK--what about the Carabao Cup? Is it like the difference between the Champions and the Europa?

 

[Boski]

OK--what about the Carabao Cup? Is it like the difference between the Champions and the Europa?

Sorta. Its the lesser of the domestic cups and only consists of top 3-4 tiers of English football. Its more for commercial exploits IMO. The name changes as sponsors come and go (officially its the EFL cup) and the finals are in Feb. Most of time you'll find the clubs 2nd team playing. FA cup is more prestigious, older, and has more sway over getting into Europe. Winning the FA cup gets you into the Europa League regardless of what division/place you are in. Wigan won it 2013 and literally got relegated from the premier league days later.

 

[Buzz Rules]

OK--what about the Carabao Cup? Is it like the difference between the Champions and the Europa?

 

[Buzz Rules]