The Women’s FA Cup is taking centre stage this weekend as women’s football returns for 2025. Here’s everything you need to know, including where to watch the games, teams to look out for and more…
Saturday fixtures:
There are 16 games set to take place (weather permitting) in the Women’s FA Cup over the next two days. All 12 WSL sides have now entered the competition, and Saturday’s action starts with one of them, Brighton are in action against Championship side Durham at 12:30 p.m. The other fixture sees current holders Manchester Utd against national league side West Brom at 5:15 p.m.
The Man Utd vs West Brom game is one to watch. For the baggies, the chance to play against the current champions and 4th-placed WSL side is an exciting prospect and they will believe they can cause a huge upset. The Midlands club currently sits in 8th place in the Women’s National League, two divisions lower than United and face a monumental task to get into the quarterfinals. But they do have some pacey and skilful players in the side who could cause the United defenders some problems. Ultimately though United should get through to the next round pretty comfortably.
The game is going to be live on YouTube on the Women’s FA Cup channel, but a good attendance is expected down at Leigh Sports Village too. Can the Baggies achieve greatness?
Sunday fixtures:
The other 14 games will take place (weather/pitch permitting). Some of the games to keep an eye on are Manchester City vs Ipswich, Aston Villa vs Bristol Rovers, and Exeter vs Sunderland. Ipswich, Rovers, and Exeter like West Brom will all be looking to cause major upsets to progress to the quarterfinals of the competition and it looks a tough ask on paper, but women’s football has provided us with surprises in the past, could this weekend be the same?
A couple of other teams to keep an eye on are Wolves, Cheltenham (who play Wolves), Fulham, Stoke, Nottingham Forest, London Bees and Rugby Borough (who play London Bees).
Facts and stats:
Last season all the quarterfinalists ended up being from the top two divisions except for Wolves. This season based on the fixtures two clubs from the National League are guaranteed a place in the quarters which proves how much the women’s game has grown.
The current top goal scorers in the competition are Preston’s Madison Hadley and Brentford’s Chloe Logie who both have 10 goals. However, with the WSL sides now being involved could we see anyone catch these two in the hunt for the Golden Boot.
Providing all the fixtures go ahead, this weekend of FA Cup action is going to be a good one as of course women’s football is back in England for the first time this year.
Quite a few games are live on the FA player and potentially YouTube as well for fans to watch, see the tweet below if you can watch your team.
The full fixture list for this weekend’s action can be found here.