Women’s FA Cup to be completed next season with final at Wembley on October 31

Football

The final rounds of this year’s Women’s FA Cup will be played early in the 2020-21 season, the Football Association has confirmed.

The competition had reached the quarter-final stage before the campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The last-eight ties will now be played on the weekend of September 26-27 with the semi-finals following quickly on September 30-October 1. The final will be at Wembley on October 31.

The Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship seasons were ended in May but there was always a hope the cup could be concluded.

That has been made possible after the FA successfully applied to world governing body FIFA for dispensation to play next season.

Manchester City beat West Ham in the 2019 final
Manchester City beat West Ham in the 2019 final (John Walton/PA)

Kelly Simmons, the FA’s director of the women’s professional game, 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.”

With government guidelines still uncertain regarding fans at events, all ticket-holders for the postponed final in May will be refunded. Announcements about rebooking will be made in due course should rules change regarding attendance.

Holders Manchester City are among seven Super League clubs remaining in the competition, with Leicester the sole representatives from the Championship.

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