Why Are Both FA Cup Semifinals Scheduled at Wembley Stadium?

Both FA Cup semifinal matches are being held at Wembley Stadium this weekend, continuing a tradition that's been in place since 2008. However, this wasn't always the standard practice — and the shift has more to do with financial necessity than footballing tradition, stemming from a massive £798 million construction bill.

Manchester City will take on Championship side Southampton on Saturday (12:15 p.m. ET), with the Premier League giants heavily favoured to advance to their fourth straight final. Sunday's match (10 a.m. ET) features Chelsea squaring off against Leeds United, who haven't reached an FA Cup final since 1973 and will be hoping Chelsea's recent struggles continue to give them a fighting chance.

Financial motivations behind the Wembley decision

The FA Cup stands as the oldest national cup competition globally, established back in 1871. Throughout most of its extensive history, semifinal matches were staged at neutral locations across England — with Old Trafford and Villa Park serving as popular choices during the 1990s and 2000s. Wembley's first semifinal hosting came in 1991 when Tottenham defeated Arsenal, though it remained an occasional venue used selectively in 1993, 1994, and 2000.

The game-changer arrived with the reopening of the reconstructed Wembley in 2007. Starting in 2008, both semifinals permanently relocated to the national stadium. The Football Association required substantial revenue streams to help cover the astronomical rebuilding expenses — totaling $1.08 billion — and Wembley's impressive 90,000-seat capacity transformed the semifinals into a dependable financial resource. It's straightforward economics.

England isn't unique in this approach. Scotland follows a similar model with Hampden Park for the Scottish Cup. However, this setup isn't widespread across Europe — Spain and Italy utilize two-legged semifinal formats, while France and Germany hold matches at the competing clubs' home stadiums.

Arguments against holding semifinals at Wembley

The clear advantage is accessibility. Significantly more supporters can attend matches, and for fans of smaller clubs who rarely advance this far in the competition, experiencing a match day at the national stadium represents something truly memorable.

The criticism typically comes from supporters of top-tier clubs. For teams like City or Chelsea, who regularly advance deep into cup competitions, playing semifinal matches at Wembley diminishes the specialness of reaching the actual final. The occasion loses some of its magic when the venue has already become familiar territory.

• Saturday, April 26: Manchester City vs. Southampton — 12:15 p.m. ET
• Sunday, April 27: Chelsea vs. Leeds United — 10 a.m. ET

Both fixtures will be contested at Wembley Stadium. The final is scheduled for May 17. Manchester City's odds of hoisting the trophy will improve significantly if they dispatch Southampton as anticipated — though the Chelsea-Leeds matchup carries considerably more uncertainty and potential for an upset.