4 reasons why the FA Cup is still relevant

#4: The winner has a massively outside chance of Champions League qualification

It sounds crazy but Wigan were just 15 games away from Champions League qualification after their 2013 FA Cup victory!

This might sound a little crazy but bear with me for a second. While it’s true that the last side to win the FA Cup while not qualifying for European competition via the Premier League was Wigan Athletic – way back in 2012/13 – for mid-table Premier League sides it’s easy to forget that an FA Cup victory leads each season to a spot in the Europa League.

And once you’re in the Europa League? As wild as it sounds, the fact is that you’re just 15 games away from Champions League qualification for the following season. Granted, those games can be incredibly tough – a side would have to negotiate the group stages before potentially defeating Champions League-level opponents in the knockout phase – but it’s still within the realm of possibility.

Can you imagine a mid-table Premier League side like Leicester City or Crystal Palace inexplicably making the Champions League after winning the FA Cup in one season and then the Europa League in the following one?

It sounds impossible, but realistically it’s probably more likely to happen than one of those sides crashing the Champions League party at the top of the table. And after all, anything can happen in football!