Manchester United and Tottenham are both looking to win their first-ever Women's FA Cup title when they meet in the final at a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
For the first time in 11 years, the trophy will not be lifted by Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City, adding an extra level of excitement to an already historic final.
United beat Chelsea 2-1 in the semi-final, earning their first-ever victory over the Blues, while Spurs came from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1 in extra time thanks to Martha Thomas' 118th-minute goal.
It promises to be a tight contest, with very little to separate the sides in the WSL this season - United are fifth in the table, only seven points ahead of Spurs, who sit below them in sixth.
The two sides have met 10 times in the WSL since 2019-20 and the Red Devils have come out on top, having never lost to Spurs (W8 D2), although their most recent encounter ended 2-2 in April.
Second time lucky for United?
Manchester United are featuring in the FA Cup final for the second consecutive year, having not reached this stage before 2023, and they will certainly go into this tie as the favourites.
They lost 1-0 to Chelsea last season - the last side to lose their first two finals were Bristol City in 2011 and 2013, and the Red Devils will be looking to avoid matching that piece of history.
Whoever lifts the trophy will be the 18th different winner of the Women’s FA Cup. It will be the first time since Manchester City beat Birmingham City in 2017 that there has been a new winner in the competition.
Marc Skinner would love to bring the title to the red side of Manchester and told the reporters ahead of the game that his side are unfazed by the favourites tag.
“We have to go into this game and make it very business-related. But enjoy the moment, of course, enjoy. We've got to Wembley," said Skinner.
"We're playing against a team that will be buoyed by that. You get an energy when it's your first final, so you're going to get an energy for that. I think there are ways that you can counteract that, and we have to try and do that.
"But I'm not expecting this is an equal playing field going into it. And we cannot and we won't underestimate it. We know the job we've got to do."
Skinner has a strong record in the FA Cup with United, winning nine of their 11 matches, and scoring 30 goals (2.7 per game). Their only two defeats came against Man City in the fifth round in 2021-22 and in last season’s final against Chelsea.
However, Skinner believes defeat will only motivate his side to do better this time.
He added: "We have to use it as 'remember, remember', bring back those feelings and give more and give more and give more. There's nobody guaranteed to win this final. Let me be very clear on that.
"But what we have to do is give everything in order to make sure the performance is worthy of it. And if we do that and use those experiences, the feelings of it to drive us forward, then, you know, hopefully, that will give us a little edge, and that's what you need to win the game."
Spurs a Maiden adventure
Tottenham were promoted to the WSL just five years ago and, since then, have been building and growing.
Their best-ever league standing came in the 2021-22 season when they finished in fifth. Robert Vilahamn took over as manager in July 2023, with Spurs hoping he could bring the success that he had at BK Hacken to the North London side.
Vilahamn is no stranger to a Cup final and in his time at the Swedish club, he led them to back-to-back Cup finals. Andy Rogers, Spurs Women's managing director, praised the manager's ability when he brought him into the club, saying: "He has a track record of developing players to international level and competing for both domestic trophies and in the Champions League, demonstrating his ability to match our own ambitions and philosophy."
Spurs will feel vindicated in their choice of manager; the Swede has already improved on last season's league position of ninth - their lowest since promotion in 2019 - while also reaching the FA Cup final for the first time.
Speaking ahead of the game, Vilahamn praised his side's progress, saying: "We all, at a big club like Tottenham Hotspur, want to be winning trophies and competing in these kind of games.
"To get there, you have to be there and practice these things in life. Now we get a good chance in my first year to play in a final, instead of speaking about playing in a final in the future.
"Now we get that experience. The players will learn how to do it. I'm learning how to coach at Wembley. Our staff members, our social media team, everybody is learning by doing right now. I think that's a brilliant way to develop.
"For us to be here, it's not only luck. It's because we have made some really good choices this year, and last year when they started this renewal of the women's team. Everything is proof we are doing good stuff. We are already in a final, and hopefully, we're going to win a trophy already this year."
With a new team in line to win, he also spoke on the strength of women's football in England, adding: "And if you look at the final and your winner, Tottenham or Man United, I think it's a good thing for this country to get more teams in the league to compete for the trophies because you want to have a competitive league, especially in women's football.
"There are not so many leagues out there that have so many teams that can win a league or a trophy, and that's why most of the players in Europe want to play in England and not other countries. That's why the coaches want to come here instead of other countries, so it's a big thing."
Ones to Watch
Both teams will have dangerous players in this tie and none more so than the Tottenham captain Bethany England, who is Spurs' top scorer in the FA Cup this season with three goals.
The striker has netted seven goals in her last nine appearances in the competition, including her spell at Chelsea. She featured in three previous finals for the Blues, ending on the losing side in 2016 but winning in 2021 and 2022.
Rachel Williams has scored four goals in four FA Cup appearances this season for United and is averaging a goal every 33 minutes.
She won the FA Cup with Birmingham back in 2012, scoring a 90th-minute equaliser to take the game to extra-time and, despite missing her spot-kick during the shootout, they won on penalties to lift the trophy after a 2-2 draw.
The history books
Sunday's showpiece in the capital will be the 54th Women’s FA Cup final, with none of the previous 53 ending goalless.
Only two have been drawn and decided on penalties - in 1996 when Charlton Athletic won the shoot-out after a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, while in 2012, Chelsea were unable to overcome a very strong Birmingham team, drawing 2-2.
Both teams will be looking to strike first and the team who have opened the scoring in this tie have historically gone on to lift the trophy in 23 of the last 25 FA Cup finals – the exceptions are Charlton vs Arsenal in 2007 (lost 4-1) and Chelsea vs Birmingham in 2012 (drew 2-2, lost on pens).
This tie has all the makings of a spectacular fixture for the fans, the teams and their managers, who will be relishing the chance to make history for their club.
Emma Hayes has insisted Chelsea’s motivation to reach another Women’s FA Cup final is not driven by her imminent exit.
It was revealed last November that the Blues boss will end her trophy-laden 12 years club at the conclusion of this campaign to take over as United States manager.
Hayes has entered the home straight of her time at Chelsea and missed out on silverware two weeks ago when Arsenal beat them 1-0 in the Women’s League Cup final.
The highly decorated Hayes courted controversy afterwards when she appeared to shove Arsenal counterpart Jonas Eidevall, but ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United, the 47-year-old played down the impact of her summer departure.
She told a press conference: “I’m absolutely committed to doing everything I possibly can to help the team achieve these goals and I’m looking forward to the games.
“The team want to win for themselves. They want to win for the football club. They want to win for the families. They want to win because they’re winners.
“They’re sick to death of what they need to do for me and that’s fair, it’s not about me.
“It’s about them and us as a collective making sure we maximise the situations we are in.
“There are three pieces of silverware up for grabs and I’m very grateful to be in the position to be competing for them.”
While Chelsea eye Women’s Super League, FA Cup and Champions League success this season, United’s focus is purely on the domestic cup after an inconsistent campaign.
Marc Skinner led United to last season’s final where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea at Wembley and he knows the size of the task at Leigh Sports Village.
“I think their success over the past seasons and beyond is something that everybody wants to replicate,” Skinner acknowledged.
“It’s a tough, tough ask. Everybody goes, ‘you’ve got to beat Chelsea’… well not many teams do.
“I think, from our perspective, we have to give everything in this game and I believe on our day and when we have our qualities and we work hard, we can beat anybody.
“If we do that, then I believe we’ll be in a position to progress into the final of the FA Cup.”
The winner of Sunday’s other semi-final between Tottenham and Leicester will reach a maiden FA Cup final.
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Spurs switched the fixture to their men’s 62,850-seater stadium and boss Robert Vilahamn is desperate to reach Wembley in his first season in charge.
Vilahamn said: “We started our meeting with the journey we are on and that it ends at Wembley hopefully, but then everything else goes back to normal.
“I think if we have a good performance we have a good chance to win and go to Wembley.
“I just hope we can bring so many fans to stadium and make sure we do this together.
“We play for them, we don’t play for ourselves. We want to make sure we have a lot of fans at the stadium and make them proud.
“If we’re going to reach the final, we need them because they give us that extra energy.”
Meanwhile, ninth-placed Leicester will be boosted by the return of goalkeeper Janina Leitzig, who has not played since February due to a shoulder injury.
The Foxes have endured a difficult season with Willie Kirk suspended in March and subsequently dismissed weeks later, which has resulted in Jennifer Foster stepping up on an interim basis.
Foster revealed: “Janina is back at 100 per cent.
“Lize (Kop) has been playing well but it’s good to have both senior goalkeepers back in contention again to push each other.”
Emma Hayes bizarrely recited part of a poem after Jonas Eidevall branded her accusation against him of male aggression “irresponsible”.
Eidevall’s Arsenal defeated Hayes’ Chelsea 1-0 earlier this month in the Continental Cup final but the result was overshadowed by a spat between the two managers.
Hayes took exception to a touchline altercation between Eidevall and Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert and appeared to push the Arsenal boss after the match.
Both managers were speaking for the first time since the contest ahead of matches this weekend, and Eidevall did not hold back in criticising Hayes for her remarks.
“I thought the comments that I heard after the game were very irresponsible and they were not mirroring the conduct that I had in the technical area,” Eidevall said on arsenal.com.
“I think always when you make comments about other persons, you have to take into consideration what effects that may have. That’s why you need to be, especially when you’re a leader, you need to be very good with words.
“You need to understand the consequences of both your actions and your language and that’s why I think it’s really, really important that we treat each other with a lot of respect and that we stay at facts as much as possible and don’t get too emotional.”
Hayes’ response – when asked whether she would change her comments – was to read a line from Robert Frost’s poem Choose Something Like a Star: “When at times the mob is swayed to carry praise or blame too far, we may choose something like a star, to stay our minds on and be staid.”
Neither manager offered an apology, with Eidevall saying he was “very happy” with the way he conducted himself, while Hayes described a conversation with her young son about responding to aggression.
“My son said to me after the game, ‘Mummy, when you push someone in school you’re asked to go and take time out’,” she told reporters.
“And I said to him, ‘You know what darling, you can’t meet aggression with aggression. All you can do is tell the teacher’. I thought it was a really good conversation to have with my son.”
Pressed further, Hayes indicated she regretted her reaction, saying: “I’ve had a fantastic break, I’ve already explained an important analogy that I shared with my son and the lessons learned and my focus is on moving forward and I’ve had time to look at my star.
“Of course it’s not right to meet aggression with aggression. I can only control my own behaviours.
“I’ve reflected on that and next time I just need to listen to my son’s advice and I need to go to the teacher if I’ve got anything to say.”
On Eidevall’s branding of her as “irresponsible”, Hayes said simply: “I don’t have an opinion on it.”
There appears no prospect of clear-the-air talks between the pair any time soon, with Hayes, who will not face any sanction for the push, adding: “We don’t play Arsenal, we don’t have each other’s telephone numbers, we’d have no reason to do that.
“But I’m sure when I become the boss of the USA we will have conversations. Until the end of the season, my focus is on Chelsea.”
Eidevall revealed, meanwhile, that Frida Maanum, who collapsed during the cup final in worrying scenes, could return in next weekend’s match against Leicester.
“Everything is looking good and that’s the most important thing,” said Eidevall. “She’s on a graduated, monitored protocol now to return to play.
“She will not be available for selection (against Bristol City) on Sunday but, after that, if everything goes as planned, it looks promising for her to be available to play again.”
Jonas Eidevall believes Emma Hayes was “irresponsible” in accusing him of male aggression in a heated finish to the Women’s League Cup final.
Eidevall’s Arsenal defeated Hayes’ Chelsea 1-0 earlier this month but the result was overshadowed by a spat between the two managers.
Hayes took exception to a touchline altercation between Eidevall and Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert and appeared to push the Arsenal boss after the match.
Hayes will not face any sanction but, speaking at a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Women’s Super League clash with Bristol City on Sunday, Eidevall criticised the Chelsea boss for her post-match comments.
“I thought the comments that I heard after the game were very irresponsible and they were not mirroring the conduct that I had in the technical area,” Eidevall said on arsenal.com.
“I think always when you make comments about other persons you have to take into consideration what effects that may have. That’s why you need to be, especially when you’re a leader, you need to be very good with words.
“You need to understand the consequences of both your actions and your language and that’s why I think it’s really, really important that we treat each other with a lot of respect and that we stay at facts as much as possible and don’t get too emotional.
“I’m very happy with the way I conducted myself and I wouldn’t do anything differently if I could redo it again.”
Eidevall revealed, meanwhile, that Frida Maanum, who collapsed during the cup final in worrying scenes, could return in next weekend’s match against Leicester.
“Everything is looking good and that’s the most important thing,” said Eidevall. “She’s on a graduated, monitored protocol now to return to play. She will not be available for selection on Sunday but, after that, if everything goes as planned, it looks promising for her to be available to play again.”
Ange Postecoglou has praised the “outstanding” job of Tottenham Women boss Robert Vilahamn ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Leicester.
Postecoglou’s side are away at Newcastle in the Premier League this weekend, which opened the door for the women’s team to play at the men’s 62,850-seater stadium for only a second time this season.
Spurs have already made history during Vilahamn’s debut campaign after they sealed a maiden FA Cup semi-final appearance last month, but they have been backed to go further and reach Wembley by the men’s boss.
“I think Rob and the girls have been outstanding this year,” Postecoglou said.
“You’ve got to remember that they’ve had a disappointing year last year. Rob has come in and he’s changed a lot of things in terms of their football. I can see that they’re building some real belief.
“It’s the semi-final of a cup and it’s great that it’s at the stadium. I’m sure the girls will get plenty of support and they’ve had a great deal of belief to get to this point.
“You need that for a cup run and hopefully that comes out again at the weekend and they get through to a final, which would be great for them and great for our club.”
A penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester City on March 10 sent Spurs into the FA Cup semi-finals.
Vilahamn added: “I didn’t really realise it when we won the quarter-final that it is huge in this country to be the semi-finals for the first time and I am proud of it.
“The girls this year have been great. We are taking some big steps and also making sure we put Tottenham on the map for women’s football to make sure we are up there competing. I love that.
“When the board told us we could play the game there (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), I was so happy because we want to be there and they want us to play more and more games there.
“It’s the perfect match this game because it’s a big game and we are feeling that we can perform even better in that stadium.”
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall said Chelsea will not provide a “mental obstacle” for his players ahead of their League Cup final showdown at Molineux on Sunday.
Chelsea, who are bidding to complete a quadruple in Emma Hayes’ last season in charge, beat the Gunners 3-1 in the Women’s Super League just a fortnight ago.
However, Arsenal did see off the Blues in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium in December, and were also victorious in last season’s League Cup final between the two sides.
Chelsea, who booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals earlier this week, are the favourites to win at Molineux.
But speaking ahead of Sunday’s showpiece, Eidevall, said: “I don’t think there is any mental obstacle for us saying that we couldn’t beat Chelsea because we’ve done so on numerous occasions.
“But there also shouldn’t be any complacency going in. We’re playing against a very good team and they’ve beaten us before, so it’s really about coming down to the best team on the day.
“Preparation plays a huge part in that and that’s what we’re focusing on. The feeling is good, we’re courageous, we’re brave and we’re going after it.”
Hayes is set to end a successful 12-year tenure in the summer to become head coach of the United States women’s team.
The 47-year-old has won six Women’s Super League titles and lifted the FA Cup five times during her time in charge.
Commenting on his rivalry with Hayes, Eidevall, who has been manager at Arsenal since 2021, said: “We’ve really enjoyed the games from a challenge perspective, and it has been really exciting to be involved in.
“But rivalries in elite football will continue to come, and when one ends, another one emerges. I don’t think there will be any shortage of rivalries in the WSL.”
While Sunday’s game could mark the final realistic chance of a trophy for Arsenal – who have fallen six points adrift of Chelsea and Manchester City in the WSL with five games left – Hayes’ side are fighting on all fronts, with an FA Cup semi-final meeting against Manchester United and a European last-four date with Barcelona to follow next month.
“Sometimes you don’t know what competition you’re in when you’re in our dressing room, let alone what day it is,” said Hayes.
“But let’s be clear, we will see two top-level teams (on Sunday). Both are capable of winning the games, and both have their own qualities.
“You’ve got to show up and present yourself in the way that gives you the best chance, particularly the first part (of the game). If you don’t, it can make it a little bit difficult.”
Emma Hayes says that the Conti Cup “is absolutely important to her” ahead of Chelsea’s final against Arsenal on Sunday.
The Blues will be looking to keep their quadruple hopes alive, having lost the final of the competition in the past two seasons.
Chelsea suffered a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in 2022 before they lost 3-1 to Sunday’s opponents last season.
Hayes, whose side beat Arsenal 3-1 in the Women’s Super League two weeks ago, highlighted the importance of her team giving their all at Molineux.
“Have you watched our performances in the last two Conti Cup finals? Because I have and they have – again and again,” Hayes told a press conference.
“Let me be clear on this: the team know exactly how I feel about that final on Sunday in terms of showing up and showing ourselves. I don’t care if it’s important to them – it absolutely is important to me.”
Chelsea picked up a first WSL defeat of the season in a 4-1 loss to Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners at the Emirates in December.
Hayes warned her side must start well to avoid a similar situation.
She added: “You have to show up on the day, let’s be clear, they’re two top-level teams. Both are capable of winning the games, both have their own qualities.
“The team that shows up strong, particularly the first part, you think about the Emirates game, it was over at half-time.
“You’d better show up from the off. If you don’t, it can make it a little bit difficult.”
Winger Guro Reiten talked up the importance of the all-London final, predicting Arsenal will look for revenge after their recent defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Reiten said: “It means a lot to beat Arsenal. They’re the best matches to win and the worst ones to lose.
“They’re probably going to come into the final and want revenge.”
Holders Chelsea have been drawn to play at Manchester United in the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals and Tottenham will face Leicester at home.
Emma Hayes’ side take on United in a repeat of last season’s final, which the Blues won 1-0 to lift the trophy for a third consecutive year.
Spurs, who beat Manchester City on penalties in Sunday’s quarter-final, and Leicester, 2-0 winners at Liverpool in their last-eight clash on Saturday, have both reached the last four for the first time.
The semi-finals will take place over the weekend April 13-14, with the final to be held at Wembley on May 12.
This season’s semi-final winners will each receive £160,000, with the losers collecting £40,000.
Substitute Catarina Macario scored three minutes after her second-half introduction to send Chelsea through to the FA Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 victory over Everton at Walton Hall Park.
The United States international was still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament issue when she signed for the Blues last summer but made an emphatic first impression when she scored on her debut in last week’s Women’s Super League victory over Leicester.
Emma Hayes made six changes from Thursday’s Conti Cup semi-final victory over Manchester City, but Chelsea failed to find an opener in a cagey first half, coming closest with a crossbar-clipping header by Nathalie Bjorn before the centre-back was forced off and replaced by Niamh Charles in the 14th minute.
The Toffees had their chances, Kathrine Kuhl forcing Zecira Musovic into a good save with a sharp effort but could not make anything of a series of set-pieces.
Chelsea wasted their best chance to take the lead before the break when Jelena Cankovic curled wide from a promising position following some good work by Johanna Kaneryd to release the Serbia international.
Macario, one of four second-half substitutions for Chelsea, finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when she swept home Aggie Beever-Jones’ cut-back.
Katja Snoeijs was inches away from squaring things up, but Chelsea clung on to keep alive their chances of becoming just the second English side in history to secure a quadruple, with Arsenal having done so in 2007.
WSL leaders Chelsea, who will find out their FA Cup semi-final opponents in Tuesday morning’s draw, face Ajax in their Champions League quarter-final this month before taking on Arsenal for the Conti Cup on March 31.
Katja Snoeijs scored a second-half brace to help Everton book their place in the last 16 of the FA Women’s Cup with a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Bescot Stadium.
Everton broke the deadlock just before the hour mark when Hanna Bennison found Karoline Olesen inside the box and she unleashed a first-time effort which crashed in off the crossbar.
The visitors made it two with 10 minutes to go following a breakaway, Snoeijs on hand to tuck into the far corner.
Everton added the cherry on the cake three minutes from time as Snoeijs was brought down by Anna Patten inside the area and stepped up to dispatch the penalty down the middle.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes feels her side are fully prepared to kick off their FA Cup title defence without prolific striker Sam Kerr, who scored the winner in last year’s Wembley final.
The Australia captain on Thursday underwent surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The Women’s Super League-leading Blues first have to find their way past West Ham, who have already been active in the transfer window with the signings of Shelina Zadorsky, Katrina Gorry and Kerr’s fiancee Kristie Mewis, while Chelsea have added defender Nathalie Bjorn from Everton.
Hayes, whose trophy cabinet already includes five FA Cups, said: “I know Sam would expect me to say nothing less. Our focus has got to be on the players that are fit and a good challenge for me is to find those solutions.
“I trust in the squad that we have and we’ve added to that as well.”
The competition’s overall prize pot has been doubled to almost £6million this season, with a minimum £54,000 for fourth-round winners while the losing clubs receive £13,000 – up from £15,000 and £3,750 respectively.
West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner said: “The cup is an incentive in itself but the prize money is a huge incentive, because it’s a significant amount of money when you’re talking about players and making additions.
“Increasing the prize money is really important in helping the growth of the game.”
Fifth-tier Luton are the lowest-ranked team remaining and will face WSL competition for the first time when they host Brighton.
Albion head coach Melissa Phillips said: “The FA Cup is such a special event, the history of the tournament, the magic as they say and what a fantastic match-up we have, a tier-five team and a top-tier team. They’ll certainly be up for the game.”
Phillips’ side were beaten in last year’s semi-final by Manchester United, who take on National League Northern Premier Division leaders Newcastle with over 1,000 Magpies fans preparing to make the trip to Leigh Sports Village.
United boss Marc Skinner confessed last year’s 1-0 loss in the final “feels like yesterday” and vowed his side “want to go one better than we did last year”.
Newcastle striker Katie Barker insisted her side are brimming with confidence, saying: “No matter who we play, we always play a game to win and we’ll do everything we can to win the game.”
Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall vowed to take the competition seriously, beginning against Watford. He said: “There’s no excuse for not being able to field your best teams in these competitions.”
Durham’s meeting with Manchester City, selected for broadcast on the BBC, will mark the first time the Championship side have been televised.
Durham midfielder Lauren Briggs told the club website: “It’s something we all dream of, a great opportunity, and we’ve worked really hard for this.”
Bristol City host Liverpool in an all-WSL match-up while Championship Sheffield United travel to Tottenham and tier-three Derby welcome top-flight Leicester.
Sunderland face Southampton, Blackburn make the trip to Crystal Palace, Plymouth face Nottingham Forest and Ipswich meet Charlton.
Tier-three Burnley play Championship leaders Birmingham, Reading take on Wolves and London City Lionesses play Moneyfields.
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