With Leamington set to take on either Spalding United or Kettering Town in the third qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup soon, we wanted to look at how much this competition can be worth for teams like ours. The Brakes still have a way to go to reach the first round proper, but now is the time for us to dream. We reached the first round in 05/06, and there’s no reason we can’t do it again. In fact, you can bet online here if you think that the Brakes will win on Oct 3rd.
Betting on your team provides extra entertainment come match day, and there’s no reason not to fancy us. The club will, of course, earn a big chunk of prize money if they reach the first round, but exactly how much can they earn? Let’s take a look.
First Round Proper
For many clubs, especially those in the lower divisions of English football like us, the FA Cup offers a chance to earn a tasty financial boost that can cover wages, renovations, and much more. In the 2023-2024 season, teams that do manage to reach the first round of the Emirates FA Cup could earn a chunky £41,000 for winning a match and advancing to the second round. Just getting to the first round proper is worth £9,375.
Second Round Proper
If teams like the Brakes go on a glory run in the second round, they can have an even larger cash prize. Teams that advanced to the second round earned approximately £67,000 for a win. Losing teams naturally make less, but they could make some money if they draw a fixture that is shown on TV.
Third Round Proper
The third round is where the FA Cup can grab the imaginations of fans worldwide, and lower league teams can go down in folklore. Premier League and Championship teams enter the competition at this stage, and the financial rewards can be substantial. This season, the prize money for a third-round win was approximately £105,000. This amount and potential TV broadcasting fees will significantly boost a club’s earnings and provide bonus revenue that helps the club flourish financially.
Lowest-Ranked Teams’ Success in the FA Cup
Non-league and lower-league clubs have pulled this kind of rabbit out of the hat before, most notably when Sutton United romped to the 5th round of the cup. In the 2016-2017 season, the U’s played in the National League (the fifth tier of English football) and had no right getting as far as they did. This fairytale journey included wins over Football League clubs, notably AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United. Their cup run was the stuff of movies and showcased the FA Cup’s magic, where underdogs can shine on the big stage.
Brakes fans will find out on October 2nd whether or not they can make it to the 4th qualifying round, and just a couple of wins from the big time.
