FA Cup, 2018

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  • The final of the 137th edition of the FA Cup was held at Wembley Stadium on 19 May 2018. It was the first to use the video assistant referee (VAR).
  • A total of 737 clubs competed with the Extra preliminary round commencing on 5 August 2017.
  • The Nike Ordem V matchball that was used in the final included the names of 137 goalscorers in this season's competition. The 'Ball For All' recognised players from Step 6 of the National League System through to the Premier League.
  • Ticket prices for the final ranged from £45 to £145.
  • Arsenal were the defending holders having beaten Chelsea 2-1 in the final on 27 May 2017.
  • As well as the trophy, the winners earned £1.8million from the total FA Cup prize fund of £15.134 million.
  • The winners qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2018-19. Should they finish in the top four of the Premier League, their place would be allocated to the next-highest ranked Premier League team not qualified for UEFA competitions. The runners-up do not qualify.
  • The domestic broadcasting rights were awarded to the BBC and BT Sport.
  • This was the third of a three-year sponsorship deal with a Dubai-based airline when the FA Cup was rebranded as the Emirates FA Cup.
  • A sudden-death format applied from the quarter-final stage onwards. Therefore, replays were only played up to and including the 5th round.
  • This was the second year of a two-year trial that allowed for a fourth substitution during the extra-time period in FA Cup ties from and including the quarter-finals onwards.
  • Although the Football League (EFL) introduced the ABBA format penalty shoot-out in League Cup in the 2016-17 season, the FA Cup continued with the traditional alternative-style format.
  • The 3rd round tie between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at AMEX Stadium on 8 January 2018 was the first senior game in England where video assistant referee (VAR) technology was available, although it was not used. Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho was the first player to score a goal awarded by a VAR in competitive English football in the Foxes' 2-0 win against Fleetwood Town the FA Cup 3rd round replay on 16 January 2018.
  • As only Premier League stadiums contained the required permanent camera angles, VAR was only made available at selected ties.