Football, women's football, women's sport

FA Cup gets autumn go-ahead

The 2019-20 Women's FA Cup will be completed after the Football Association gained approval to finish last season's competition during the early part of the new campaign.

The cup had reached the quarter-final stage before lockdown in March. Unlike the Women's Super League and Championship, the FA Cup was only postponed rather than cancelled.

FIFA has now made an exception to allow the remaining rounds to go ahead. The quarter-finals will be held on the weekend of 26-27 September with the semis a few days later on 31 September and 1 October.

The FA Cup final will be at Wembley on 31 October. All original tickets sold will be refunded but The FA remain hopeful fans will be allowed to rebook closer to the time if social distancing rules allow.

The FA’s Director of the Women’s Professional Game Kelly Simmons said: “A significant amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to ensure The Women’s FA Cup can be completed and I am delighted that we have received the necessary approval for its conclusion.

“The Women’s FA Cup is a showpiece fixture in the football calendar and because of that there was huge appetite within The FA for the three remaining rounds to be played. We welcome the opportunity for a champion to be crowned at Wembley Stadium at the end of October.”