Women's FA Cup Final to be played at Wembley for first time

FA hope game will be a celebration of football

A view of Wembley Stadium (Getty Images)

Forty-four years after it was first contested, the FA Women’s Cup final is finally to be staged at Wembley Stadium.

The showpiece, which has been played at a Football League ground in recent years, will be held on Saturday 1 August with the Football Association hoping it will, much like rugby league’s Challenge Cup final, be a celebration of the sport as well as a match.

It will need to be, as club attendances in the women’s game rarely reach 1,000. The final, however, has attracted gates as high as 25,000, though last year’s tie, at Milton Keynes’ stadium:mk, drew 15,000 for Arsenal against Everton.

Early-bird tickets, available until 5 May, are £10 for adults, £3 for children. The competition is currently at the fifth round, the stage where the FA women’s Super League First Division clubs enter.

Eniola Aluko, meanwhile, scored a memorable goal to earn England a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in their final group match at the Cyprus Cup.

Mark Sampson’s side had already booked their place in the final of the annual friendly competition, courtesy of wins over Finland and Australia.

Anna Miedema gave the Dutch the lead after some nimble footwork by Daniëlle van de Donk. But Aluko levelled just before the break with a tremendous solo effort. The 28-year-old slalomed past four defenders before finishing calmly past the goalkeeper.