SUMMARY
- English soccer has two major cup competitions, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
- The FA Cup is the oldest soccer tournament in the world.
English soccer is much more than a sport. It’s more of a tradition. Clubs all over the entire nation feature in several tournaments every season to mark their presence. And other than the Premier League and lower division soccer leagues, cup competitions are highly anticipated by the fans every year.
In the realm of English soccer, two cup competitions stand out as monuments to the sport’s rich tapestry: the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. These competitions, enriched in history, offer a stage where teams from all levels of the English soccer pyramid can come together in pursuit of glory.
However, both competitions have carried their significance over the years. The FA Cup, which is more widely known across the globe, is the oldest soccer tournament in the world. While the Carabao Cup offers clubs an additional opportunity for silverware.
Rules, prizes, and European qualification scenario of the FA Cup
The FA Cup, short for the Football Association Challenge Cup, is the oldest soccer competition worldwide. It was first held during the season of 1871–1872 and has been held annually ever since, except for the years during both World Wars.
The FA Cup is a knockout soccer competition comprising a total of 732 clubs across the English soccer pyramid. The competition kicks off in August when lower and non-league teams initially participate in the qualifying rounds. Out of which, 32 teams qualify for round one. Premier League teams get direct entry from round three. The semi-finals and the final of the competition are played at the iconic Wembley Stadium.
The 2023/24 FA Cup Prize Money: pic.twitter.com/Q9P21vtcWX
— Ollie Bayliss (@Ollie_Bayliss) June 30, 2023
The current winners of the prestigious Cup competition are rewarded with a heavy paycheck. The men’s FA Cup winners receive a prize of two million British pounds, while the women’s FA Cup winning team takes home an amount of 430 thousand British pounds.
Speaking of the European qualification scenario for the same, the winners of the competition get a direct spot in the UEFA Europa League. Arsenal leads the tally for winning the most number of titles after winning it 14 times. The defending champions of the competition are Manchester City, who defeated their city rivals Manchester United last year in the final.
Rules, Prizes, and European Qualification Scenario of the Carabao Cup
Not as popular as the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup offers its own shot at glory for clubs. Established in the year 1960, the competition was previously called the English League Cup.
🚨 Fans are amazed after finding out the real prize money for winning the Carabao Cup pic.twitter.com/4WwrS4pA7h
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) February 22, 2024
The Carabao Cup features 92 teams across the top four levels of the English men’s soccer hierarchy. Played on a knockout basis, the semifinals of the competition are played across two legs on a home and away basis. Compared to the FA Cup, the winners of the Carabao Cup earn way less than the iconic competition. The winner earns an estimated prize of $127k, with the runners-up receiving half of that.
Since the 2020–21 season, the winners of the Carabao Cup have earned a place in the UEFA Conference League. Prior to that, the winners used to qualify for the qualifying round of the Europa League.