June 3rd, 2023 will see the one hundred and forty-second FA cup final – The first-ever FA Cup final took place on 16 March 1872 at the Kennington Oval in London, England. The match pitted Wanderers F.C. against Royal Engineers A.F.C., and was the culmination of a tournament first organised by the Football Association (FA) in 1871.

The FA Cup was introduced as a competition to promote football to wider circles throughout England. The idea for the tournament was based on the Welsh FA Challenge Cup that had already been around for 40 years. To make the cup competitive, aside from Wanderers and the Royal Engineers, 15 other teams were invited from across the county.

The first round took place in November 1871, and was won by Wanderers 2-1 against Crystal Palace. They went on to progress through the rounds, remaining undefeated throughout, eventually claiming their place in the final. On the other hand, the Royal Engineers won all their matches.

The match was sold out and had a crowd of around 2,000 people. Wanderers emerged as the victors with a 1-0 score. Despite their success, they were able to retain the cup just once more, meaning they are known as the ‘first and last ever club to win the competition’.

Since its inception, the FA Cup has grown to become one of the biggest and most esteemed tournaments in the footballing world. It is estimated that the first FA Cup final generated more than £3,000 (almost £320.000 in today’s monetary value), proving the success of the tournament and the huge interest that exists for football in England.