FA Cup prize money gives clubs at every level a financial incentive to progress, with the Football Association paying participation fees to both winners and losers in nearly every round of the men’s and women’s competitions. The world’s oldest national football tournament is not only about the chance to lift a historic trophy; for smaller clubs, it can deliver a significant boost to their finances.
The scale of the competition is considerable. A total of 743 teams entered the men’s FA Cup, while 535 entered the women’s tournament. Across both, the FA offers participation prize money, and clubs can also benefit from lucrative television bonuses and gate receipts.
How the rounds and payments are structured
The men’s FA Cup comprises 14 rounds when preliminary and qualifying rounds are included. Prizes are available for both winners and losers in all but three of those matches. The women’s FA Cup has 12 rounds, and every one carries participation fees for both the winning and losing sides.
That structure means clubs can count on some income simply for taking part, rather than relying solely on advancing through the competition. For lower-league teams in particular, the combination of participation money and the possibility of a deeper run can make the FA Cup a meaningful financial event.
Television fees add another layer
Broadcast payments provide an additional source of income for clubs selected for live coverage. In the men’s first round, eight matches were chosen for live television, with two shown on the BBC. The 16 clubs involved in those fixtures each received a live television broadcast fee of £50,000 on top of their participation fees.
Those broadcast fees rise as the competition progresses. In 2025-26, third-round payments were £80,000 per club, a stage that begins once Premier League teams enter the competition. By the fifth round, the payment had increased to £120,000 per club.
In the women’s FA Cup, broadcast rights are shared by TNT Sports and Channel 4. Women’s Super League clubs enter the competition in the fourth round.
Gate receipts are shared between clubs
FA Cup rules also provide for gate receipts to be divided equally between the two clubs after certain hosting costs are deducted. That arrangement can be especially valuable for lower-league clubs drawn away against a Premier League side from the third round onward, when the larger club’s stadium and attendance can generate a substantial gate.
For clubs further down the football pyramid, the combination of participation fees, broadcast bonuses and a share of gate receipts can turn a cup run into a significant financial opportunity. The prize money structure ensures that the FA Cup offers rewards beyond the pursuit of silverware, with payments reaching both winners and losers at nearly every stage of the men’s competition and at every stage of the women’s tournament.
