2024/25 FA Cup Predictions - Picks, Match Previews & Betting Tips
The FA Cup is the world’s most historic soccer competition and one of English football's most prestigious and coveted trophies. Compared to other competitions, it’s unique, as it’s open to every team in the English football pyramid. That means hundreds of teams take part every season. You can bet on all the action at Stake Sportsbook , and in this guide, we’ll share our top FA Cup soccer betting picks.
FA Cup History
The English Football Association (FA) was founded in 1863 to create unified rules for the sport of soccer. Before that point, rules of the game depended on where in the UK it was being played which made organizing matches very chaotic. After the FA was founded, it set about establishing a nationwide competition.
The original edition of the FA Cup took place in 1871, with a total of 15 teams and 13 games. However, the competition changed a lot in 1888 as more teams were invited, and the qualifying rounds were first introduced.
The game originally had a rule that any tie game must be replayed, leading to a record 6 replays between Alvechurch and Oxford City in 1971-72 qualification. Multiple replays were eventually scrapped from the competition, and replays are no longer possible from the first round onwards.
Although the tournament is held every season, it has had some breaks due to the First and Second World Wars. The finals and semi-finals of the FA Cup have historically been played at Wembley Stadium, a tradition that began with the 1923 FA Cup final. You can bet on English football , including the FA Cup, at Stake.
2024/25 FA Cup Schedule
FA Cup Tournament Stage
First Round - Saturday, November 2 2024 – Clubs from League One and League Two enter.
Second Round - Saturday, November 30 2024
Third Round - Saturday, January 11 2025 – Clubs from the Championship and Premier League enter.
Fourth Round - Saturday, February 8 2025
Fifth Round - Saturday, March 1 2025
FA Cup Final Stages
Quarter Final - Saturday, March 29 2025
Semi Final - Saturday, April 26 2025
Final - Saturday, May 17 2025
Tournament Overview & Current State of Play
We’re now entering the final stages of this season’s FA Cup. The semi-finals are up next, with just 4 teams remaining in the competition. All lower league teams have been eliminated, so the winner will be a Premier League side. However, almost all of the traditional “Big 6” Premier League teams have also been knocked out, with only Manchester City left from the elite teams.
The 5th round saw 4 teams from the Championship eliminated, with Preston North End the only Championship club to reach the quarter-finals. However, they were knocked out by Aston Villa. Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth also went out during the quarter-finals, leaving only Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Manchester City.
When & Where is the FA Cup Final?
The 2025 FA Cup final takes place at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, on 17 May.
2024/25 FA Cup Predictions
With just 4 teams left in the competition, anyone could win it. Manchester City are perhaps the most likely, given the strength of their squad and their history, with 7 FA Cup wins. However, they’re having a difficult season and are missing their key striker. Meanwhile, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are both having great seasons, while Crystal Palace can’t be counted out, thanks to the quality of their players.
FA Cup Picks to Win Final
Manchester City
Manchester City are the current favorites to win the FA Cup. They’ve previously lifted the trophy 7 times in their history and reached the final in the last 2 seasons. While they’re the biggest club left in the tournament based on recent history, their current form is poor. City have struggled in the 2024-25 season without Rodri as the linchpin in front of the defence. Meanwhile, the most prolific goal scorer in England, Erling Haaland, recently picked up an injury that will mean he misses the rest of the tournament.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa have had a series of strong seasons under the guidance of head coach Unai Emery. They’ve returned to European football, reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season. However, a difficult result against Paris St. Germain means the FA Cup could be their last chance for silverware this season. Morgan Rodgers and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford could play key roles in their success. They haven’t won the competition since 1956-57 but reached the final in the 2014-15 season.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace are currently the joint 3rd favorites to lift the FA Cup this season. They’ve had a relatively easy run, beating Millwall, Doncaster Rovers and Stockport County in the last 3 rounds. Although they’ve never won the tournament, they have finished as runners-up twice, including most recently in 2016 when they lost the final to Manchester United. While they’re not doing brilliantly in the league, Crystal Palace still have a chance to win a major trophy thanks to their talented squad of players. Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta are able to make a difference.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have surprised a lot of fans since they were promoted to the Premier League for the 2022-23 season. Since then, they’ve invested wisely in their squad and under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, they have become very difficult to beat. They’re now the joint 3rd favorites to win the FA Cup, although they’ll have to get past Manchester City in their next match. New Zealand striker Chris Wood has been key for them, scoring 18 goals in league games. However, he’s yet to score in the FA Cup.
FA Cup Betting Tips, Odds & Previews
FA Cup futures – If you feel like betting on the winner of the FA Cup at the end of the season, the futures market lets you pick a team well in advance of the final. It’s worth noting that while smaller teams have much larger odds, the tournament is very rarely won by a team from outside the Big Six. Leicester beat Chelsea in the 2020-21 final, but before that was Wigan’s win over Manchester City in the 2013-14 season.
Fixture schedules – The FA Cup is the most historic competition in the world and is hugely important for a lot of teams. However, the busy fixture schedule means that many clubs will rest key players for FA Cup fixtures to focus on the league or European competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League . This can present betting opportunities, so keep an eye on team news before the match.
FA Cup parlays – Placing parlays on FA Cup fixtures is a big tradition in the UK, with a large number of games taking place during each round. When placing parlays, remember to choose your stake responsibly. You should also be realistic about the number of selections you add, as your chance of hitting a ten-fold parlay is significantly lower than a five-fold.
Types of Bets & How to Bet on the FA Cup
Placing a bet on the FA Cup soccer is simple, but you can use our detailed betting guide for more information. Follow these quick steps to get started:
Create your account if you don’t already have one, then make a deposit.
Find FA Cup matches from the upcoming soccer page or use the search bar.
Select a match and then choose a betting market.
Enter your stake in the bet slip and confirm.
Watch the free live stream to enjoy the game.
There are lots of different ways to bet on soccer, and every FA Cup match has plenty of live and pre-match betting markets to choose from. Some of the most popular include:
Live Stream FA Cup Online
FA Cup matches are available to watch free on Stake.com . You can log in and enjoy FA Cup live streams whenever there’s a match on, and they’re completely free. Make the most of live betting markets while you watch the game or simply tune in and enjoy the action.
FA Cup Betting Odds, Payouts & Promotions
Before you sign up and start betting, make sure you understand how odds work and how to calculate the payouts of your winning bets. You can use the odds to calculate how much you’ll win, and it’s possible to switch between decimal, fractional and American to choose the format you prefer to use.
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Research each bet - Every bet you place should be backed up by the available data and careful research of the FA Cup and matchups between teams. Make sure you check the recent form of each side and the overall FA Cup statistics. Last season, an average of 3.48 goals were scored per FA Cup game and 48% of games ended in a home win.
Make the most of live odds - Live betting provides an excellent opportunity to find value even if you can’t find great odds pre-match. As the game is in-play, the odds will be updated in real time based on what happens on the pitch. You can bet throughout the game, and it’s even possible to check live stats and view the live stream as you bet.
Follow the news - Stay up to date with the news on the FA Cup and the Premier League to learn about injuries and suspensions to key players and their form. This information is really useful for making betting predictions, giving you a better idea of each team’s chances for success.
Stake VIP Club & Responsible Betting
Join the VIP Club to earn even more rewards, including regular rakeback , frequent reloads and your own VIP host . Find out more on the VIP FAQ page . Don’t forget to follow our Stake Smart guidelines and bet responsibly while betting on soccer .
