how many rounds are there in the fa cup

There are 14 rounds in the FA Cup in total, from the very first qualifying games all the way to the final at Wembley.

Quick Scoop

• 6 qualifying rounds for non‑league and lower‑tier clubs (Extra Preliminary up to Fourth Qualifying Round).

• 8 proper rounds, which most fans think of as “the FA Cup”:
  • First Round Proper
  • Second Round Proper
  • Third Round Proper (Premier League and Championship clubs enter)
  • Fourth Round Proper
  • Fifth Round Proper
  • Quarter‑finals
  • Semi‑finals
  • Final

So if you’re counting every stage in the competition, the answer to “how many rounds are there in the FA Cup?” is 14.

A little perspective: a tiny non‑league club starting in the Extra Preliminary Round has to win 13 matches to lift the trophy, while a Premier League side entering in the Third Round only needs 6 wins to do the same.

TL;DR: The FA Cup has 14 rounds in total (6 qualifying + 8 proper), with top‑tier clubs joining at the Third Round Proper.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.