FA Cup Financial Breakdown: How Prize Money, Broadcast Revenue, and Gate Receipts Are Distributed

While lifting silverware remains the ultimate dream in the world's oldest national football tournament, the FA Cup also delivers a critical economic windfall to competing sides. As Manchester City target title defences in both the men's and women's competitions this season, hundreds of hopefuls are vying for substantial monetary rewards. In total, 743 teams entered the men's tournament and 535 entered the women's event, with the Football Association providing participation prize funds for both victors and defeated teams across almost every stage.

The prize structure spans across extended competition calendars for both competitions. The men's tournament encompasses 14 stages, taking in preliminary and qualifying rounds, with payouts awarded to both winners and losers in all but three fixtures. In the women's competition, all 12 rounds provide participation payments to both triumphant and eliminated clubs, with teams from the Women's Super League making their entrance in the fourth round.

Television coverage provides an additional, lucrative source of income on top of standard participation money. In the men's first round, eight ties were selected for live broadcast—including two fixtures featured on the BBC—granting each of the 16 participating clubs a £50,000 live television fee. These broadcast sums climb substantially as the tournament advances; third-round ties will yield £80,000 per club in 2025-26 once top-flight Premier League sides join the competition, with payouts reaching £120,000 by the fifth round. For the Women's FA Cup, live broadcast rights are split between Channel 4 and TNT Sports.

Matchday revenue offers another vital avenue of support for lower-tier competitors seeking financial growth. According to the tournament's official regulations, net gate receipts are split equally between both participating sides once specific hosting deductions are made. Because of this 50-50 gate revenue split, lower-league clubs can secure a major financial windfall whenever they land an away draw against Premier League opposition from the third round onward.