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.