The FA Cup is one of the most celebrated and respected cup competitions in all football. It's a wonderful tradition in England and one that's brought some incredible moments over the years. From some of the truly great teams to have got their hands on the trophy, to the electric finals and absurd moments, to some of the biggest upsets we've ever seen, there's a reason the competition is so special and cherished.

One particular reason it means so much to football fans is the inclusion of non-league teams. It's the rare occasion that teams further down the football pyramid have a chance to compete against some of the biggest names in the sport.

Getting to those latter stages in the tournament can be massive for a club. Not just for the experience, but the financial implications as well. Teams are given money for each round they surpass in the FA Cup and while it might not be considered much to the biggest sides in the country, who compete for so much more in the Champions League, but it's the sort of income that could seriously help some teams.

As the FA Cup draw continues to create the opportunity for giant killings, below is a breakdown of just how much teams earn for each round of the competition.

FA Cup Qualifying Rounds Prize Money

The lowest-ranked teams in the entire FA Cup will have to fight their way through six qualifying games if they're to make it to the proper tournament. The extra preliminary round is the very first stage, with 223 teams entering the draw at that time. Just taking part in the qualifiers has its benefits for the lower-ranked teams as they gain money whether they win or lose their game at this stage. Winning the extra preliminary round pockets clubs £1,125 while losing it still sees them earn £375.

The next round, the preliminary round, sees the teams who win and progress pick up another £1,444, while those eliminated at this stage still get £481. We're into the actual qualifying stages now, and the victors of the first round qualifying win £2,250, while the losers take home £750 as they exit the competition.

The second-round qualifying winners land £3,375, and even the losers win more than a grand this time, gaining £1,125 for their troubles. The third round qualifying sees things continue to heat up and if a side has made it all the way to this stage, they've already made some nice cash for their level. The winners at this stage will win £5,625, while the losers still earn £1,875.

The final qualifying round of the FA Cup is a huge one. Teams that win will not only make it to the actual FA Cup tournament, where they stand a chance of facing significantly higher opposition, but they'll also win another £9,375. Falling at the final hurdle isn't nice for any team, but the £3,125 that the losers still win at this stage sure makes things a little easier to stomach. All in all, if you started at the very earliest stage of the tournament, and you've made it to the FA Cup proper, you've already earned £23,194.

FA Cup Prize Money - First Round Onwards

The FA Cup proper is where the big money starts coming into play. Any single win at this stage changes things drastically for a non-league side. Winning the first round alone pockets you £47,750. This is the sort of money that some clubs down at that level spend in a year. 40 sides enter the draw at this stage, with League One and League Two teams also joining the fold.

The second round sees Championship teams also added to the mix and the rise in the quality of opponents also sees the prize money jump. Winning the second round earns clubs another £79,500. That's right, just winning the first two FA Cup games will pocket a team well over £100,000, which is crazy money for non-league sides.

The third round is where things really get interesting. The Premier League shows up and a meeting with one of the biggest teams in the country, and maybe even the world, like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea is potentially on the cards.

At this stage, facing one of the biggest clubs at their stadium is the best bet for non-league teams, with the financial implications of taking home half of their ticket sales from the match very, very lucrative. This was the case for non-league side Macclesfield, who stunned Premier League outfit and former cup holders Crystal Palace 2-1 at home in 2025/26, in what may have been the greatest cupset in history.

With £121,500 up for grabs if a team makes it past the third round, Macclesfield enjoyed a huge amount of financial success from the tournament, before exiting at the fourth round against Brentford. It's in the fourth round that winners will take home another £127,000, and if a club makes it past the fifth, they'll win £238,500.

Prize money for the first, second and third rounds was increased from the 2024/25 season to help compensate clubs for the loss of replays, and went up even more in 2025/26, before remaining the same in the 2026/27 campaign.

The FA announced in April 2024 that it was scrapping replays from the first round proper in the current campaign onwards as the English game sought to tackle fixture congestion created by the expansion of international tournaments such as UEFA competitions. Replays have always produced additional income, and increased prize money was added to try and soften the blow.

In the quarter-finals, the possibility of actually winning the whole thing is likely on the minds of anyone involved, but even just getting beyond that stage is enough to pocket another £477,000. It will also, by default, grant you at least another £530,000 as the losers of the semi-finals are guaranteed half a million pounds, while the winners, who book a trip to Wembley will win another £1,060,000.

The likes of Man City have taken the prize in recent years, as Pep Guardiola bowed out in style. They took home £2.12m, alongside the joy and pride of lifting the trophy, and this year's winner will make the same hefty sum.

There have been some unbelievable results in the FA Cup over the years. It is one of the most magical competitions in English football for good reason. Anything can happen and just about any club can enjoy a huge payday as a result.

Mega-Money for Port Vale in 2025/26

Underdog stories are what makes the FA Cup so special and Port Vale were a recent fairytale. Then a League One side, before suffering relegation to League Two last season, the Valiants had a stellar tournament. They came into the competition in the first round proper and made it all the way to the quarter finals, the furthest they've gone since 1953.

Port Vale's run started with a 5-1 thrashing of non-league side Maldon & Tiptree, though it's worth noting that they would have crashed out had they not come from behind when the latter took a shock lead.

From there, things just got better and better. The Valiants narrowly defeated Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood Town and then picked up a big scalp against Championship side Bristol City in the fourth round. By that point, they had already won £375,750, but the best was yet to come.

Vale then defeated Premier League side Sunderland in one of the biggest results in their long history to set up a trip to Stamford Bridge, where their run ultimately came to an end. The quarter-final was a step too far, as Chelsea eased to a 7-0 thrashing. Port Vale could be proud, however, as they made history and came away with a total of £614,250 in prize money.

Having entered the tournament in the first round proper and having made it to the last eight, Port Vale stole plenty of headlines in a sensational cup run.