Why Both FA Cup Semifinals Happen at Wembley: Follow the Money

This weekend marks another FA Cup semifinal doubleheader at Wembley Stadium, a tradition that's been locked in place since 2008. The current format wasn't always standard practice — the shift had everything to do with financing a massive stadium reconstruction project that cost £798 million (approximately $1.08 billion CAD).

Manchester City squares off against Championship side Southampton on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET, with the Premier League giants heavily favoured to advance to their fourth straight final. Sunday's match at 10 a.m. ET features Chelsea taking on Leeds United, who last appeared in an FA Cup final back in 1973 and will look to capitalize on Chelsea's recent struggles.

Financial pressures drove the Wembley decision

Since its establishment in 1871, the FA Cup stands as the world's oldest national football cup competition. Throughout most of its history, semifinal matches took place at neutral grounds across England — venues like Old Trafford and Villa Park became familiar semifinal hosts during the 1990s and early 2000s. Wembley's first semifinal came in 1991 when Tottenham defeated Arsenal, though the practice remained occasional, appearing again only in 1993, 1994, and 2000.

Everything shifted following Wembley's grand reopening in 2007 after extensive reconstruction. Beginning in 2008, the Football Association permanently relocated both semifinals to the national stadium. The motivation was straightforward: the FA required substantial revenue streams to recover the billion-dollar-plus rebuilding costs, and Wembley's 90,000-seat capacity guaranteed significant gate receipts from semifinal matches.

England isn't unique in this approach. Scotland follows a similar model with Hampden Park for Scottish Cup semifinals. However, this setup contrasts sharply with continental practices — Spanish and Italian competitions use home-and-away two-legged semifinals, while French and German tournaments stage matches at the participating clubs' home stadiums.

The debate over using Wembley for semifinals

The main advantage centres on accessibility. The larger capacity allows more supporters to attend, and for fans of smaller clubs who rarely reach this stage, experiencing a match at the national stadium represents a truly memorable occasion.

Criticism comes primarily from supporters of elite clubs. For teams like City or Chelsea who regularly advance deep into cup competitions, playing semifinals at Wembley diminishes the special nature of reaching the final itself. When the venue becomes routine, the final loses some of its distinction and prestige.

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

Both matches unfold at Wembley, with the final scheduled for May 17. City's championship odds will likely improve significantly with an expected victory over Southampton, but the Chelsea-Leeds matchup carries far more uncertainty and potential for an upset.