FA Cup ties are usually played at the home club's ground. The built-in exceptions are replays at the ground of the club drawn second, postponed ties at the ground first scheduled, and the semi-finals and final at venues chosen by the governing body.
Default venue rules
Here are the core rules on which ground is used.
| The tie | The ground |
|---|---|
| A tie in any round | The ground of the home club |
| A replay | The ground of the club drawn second, or as the governing body directs |
| A postponed tie, including a postponed replay | The same ground as originally scheduled |
| The semi-finals and the final | A venue selected by the governing body |
A change from the home club's ground is not something clubs can settle on their own. The competition's Professional Game Board has to be asked for consent, and has to grant it, before the venue changes.
When a Premier League or EFL club is drawn away at a club outside those leagues
A special safety process applies when a tie in the Competition Proper is scheduled at the ground of a club from outside the Premier League and the EFL, and the other club is from one of those leagues. The tie does not move automatically just because of the draw.
The home club carries the first set of duties. It must take all necessary steps to liaise with the relevant local authorities and/or the police to assess whether staging the tie there is suitable from a safety and security point of view.
The home club must also provide a declaration from those authorities that ties can be staged at the capacity the home club has stated. It must complete the assessment, notify the outcome and provide that declaration within three days of the date of the draw, unless a longer period has been agreed with the governing body.
What happens after the assessment
The governing body then decides whether the tie can be played at the home club's ground. That decision comes after the assessment and declaration have been provided.
If the tie is allowed there, the away club may lodge a protest. That permission does not remove the away club's right to object.
If the tie is not allowed there, the first alternative, subject to the board's agreement, is the nearest ground that the local authorities or the police consider suitable. Separately from that process, the board may order any tie to be played on an alternative ground where it considers that appropriate and necessary.
Other rules that apply to venue changes
- No money or other consideration may be requested, offered or paid in negotiations for a change of venue.
- A home club may put up a temporary stand for a tie if the local authorities or the police have been consulted at the earliest opportunity and have confirmed that the proposal is suitable from a safety and security point of view.
These rules deal with different parts of the same subject. One stops venue talks becoming a financial negotiation, and the other allows extra temporary infrastructure if the safety checks have been done in time and approved.
FAQ
Why are some FA Cup ties moved to another ground?
Some are never at a home ground in the first place, such as the semi-finals and final. Others can be moved because the board has consented to a change, because the home ground is not approved after the safety process, or because the board orders an alternative ground where it sees that as appropriate and necessary.
Can a small club host a Premier League side in the FA Cup?
Yes, but hosting is subject to the safety and security process in the Competition Proper. The home club has to work with the relevant local authorities and/or the police, provide the required declaration on capacity, and wait for the governing body's decision.
Who chooses the venue for the FA Cup semi-finals?
The governing body chooses it. It also controls the arrangements for the semi-finals and the final.
Can a club put up a temporary stand for a cup tie?
Yes, if the local authorities or the police have been consulted at the earliest opportunity and have confirmed that the proposal is suitable from a safety and security point of view. That permission sits alongside the wider venue rules rather than replacing them.