FA Cup Predictions & Betting Tips

The Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup) is the oldest national football competition in the world. Wanderers F.C. became the first winners in the 1871/72 season, while Arsenal are the most celebrated club of the tournament. The Gunners claimed the trophy 14 times, seven of them under Arsène Wenger.

It all starts with qualification rounds in the summer, while the Premier League sides enter the competition from the third round in January. Crystal Palace are the defending champions - they won the first trophy in the club's history, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the 2025 final. Make sure to bookmark this page if you would like to read our expert FA Cup tips and predictions during the whole campaign.

The FA Cup is a highly unpredictable tournament, and the current holders are the most significant proof of that. The odds for Crystal Palace to lift the trophy were as high as 85.00 at some bookmakers ahead of the season. Other eyebrow-raising winners in the last 20 years include Leicester City, Wigan Athletic, and Portsmouth.

As it's a single-game knockout tournament, a lot will depend on the draw, squad news, the teams' league positions, the weather, and other factors. Our FA Cup winner prediction is that Manchester City will win this season. After finishing last campaign without a single trophy, Pep Guardiola's side will be eager to make amends. The Citizens are not stable enough to win the league, in our opinion, and they might make the FA Cup their priority at some point in the season.

Odds to win the FA Cup

The table below lists the top 10 contenders to claim the FA Cup in the 25/26 season according to the bookmakers. Liverpool are the favourites, slightly ahead of Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea.

Beginning in August, the FA Cup is a knockout tournament throughout, consisting of twelve rounds, semifinals and the final in May. The first six rounds are qualifiers, and the draws are organised on a regional basis. The following six rounds are the "proper" rounds where all clubs are taking part in one draw. There is no seeding, and a random draw determines the fixtures in each round. If the teams are tied after 90 minutes, there will be two additional halves of 15 minutes each, followed by a penalty shootout, if required.

The FA Cup winners qualify for the UEFA Europa League and will also play in the FA Community Shield. This is a traditional opener of the new season, where FA Cup holders face off against the previous season's Premier League champions, or the Premier League runners-up if one team managed to win both the league and the FA Cup.

Qualifying: August to October 2025

First round: 1 November 2025

Second round: 6 December 2025

Third round: 10 January 2026

Fourth round: 14 February 2026

Fifth round: 7 March 2026

Quarterfinals: 4 April 2026

Semifinals: 25 April 2026

Final: 16 May 2026

MightyTips' betting previews are created by accomplished analysts, betting specialists, and passionate football enthusiasts, who have more than 100 years of combined expertise. With years of experience covering the FA Cup and other competitions, they deliver accurate football predictions and betting previews. While no prediction is guaranteed, the majority of our insights are highly reliable, making FA Cup tips on this page a valuable resource before placing your bets.

Most FA Cup matches take place on Saturdays, and we intend to get our expert tips out well in advance. For weekend games, users can expect to read our FA Cup match betting predictions by the middle of the week. This will give plenty of time to study through and find the best odds while navigating various online sportsbooks. Of course, some matches will be postponed and played in the middle of the week. Don't worry, as MightyTips got these covered too! You'll generally find FA Cup betting previews on this page at least 24 hours before matchday.

FA Cup score predictions

Many tipsters pick the team they expect to win, often opting for the favourites. Most of the time, you're left thinking that you could have done that yourself. Our experts go much further when making predictions, researching all available stats and betting markets before concluding. Modern football bettors are spoilt for choice with hundreds of options available both pre-game and in-play. You must remember that there's more than one way to beat the bookmaker and make a profit.

MightyTips' editorial team picks through the stats, head-to-head records, and form of both clubs to regularly publish correct score picks for FA Cup matches. This type of bet always comes with big odds attached. When you get it right, it will have a massive impact on your bankroll.

Popular markets for English FA Cup betting tips

MightyTips is your trusted source for free and dependable FA Cup tips, helping you make smarter bets and boost your chances of success. Our editorial team analyses the most compelling FA Cup fixtures, preparing betting previews and valuable insights. We cover a variety of betting markets through our expert football predictions. Some of the most popular markets are:

• Both teams to score
• 1x2
• Draw
• Over 2.5 goals
• Accumulators

This page focuses on FA Cup football predictions, with our experts examining upcoming fixtures to identify the most promising betting opportunities. In addition, we provide predictions, tips, and insights for a wide range of other leagues and tournaments, ensuring comprehensive analysis for football bettors. These are some of the competitions we cover:

• English Premier League predictions
• Championship predictions
• EFL League One predictions