Women’s FA Cup: Holders Chelsea to face Arsenal and West Ham host Man City in semi-finals | Football News

Holders Chelsea will face Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Women’s FA Cup in a repeat of the 2021 final.

In the other semi-final tie, Manchester City face a trip to West Ham.

Semi-final ties are set to take place on Sunday April 17, while the final will be played at Wembley Stadium on Sunday May 15.

More to follow…

How Chelsea, Man City, West Ham and Arsenal reached the semi-finals…

Chelsea Women and Manchester City Women powered into the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals with comfortable victories over Birmingham Women and Everton Women respectively on Sunday.

West Ham Women were also victorious at third-tier Ipswich Ladies as the line-up for the last four was completed.

The three sides join Arsenal Women, who saw off Coventry United Ladies on Friday, in Monday’s draw from 6.30pm.

Women’s FA Cup – Key dates…

Semi-finals: Sunday April 17

Final: Sunday May 15 at Wembley Stadium

Women’s FA Cup prize fund to go up by £3m from next season

The prize fund for the Women’s FA Cup is to increase to £3m per year from next season, the Football Association has announced.

The figure goes up from around £400,000, with details of how it is to be allocated across the competition yet to be confirmed. The FA has said that a “disproportionate amount of this new fund will be invested into the early rounds of the competition”.

It had been announced in January that a “significant” increase in prize money from next season had been agreed, amid criticism of the disparity between the current figures and those for the men’s competition.

In Monday’s statement, the FA’s director of women’s football Baroness Sue Campbell said: “I’m delighted to be able to make this announcement of increased funding for the Vitality Women’s FA Cup because it’s going to benefit so many clubs across the women’s football pyramid.

“The FA Cup, whether men’s or women’s, is the biggest and best domestic cup competition in the world, and this increased investment from the FA highlights that we want clubs competing in it to be rewarded, while also highlighting our ongoing commitment to the women’s game.

“Women’s football continues to be in a growth phase and we are always looking to make improvements and investment to drive it forward and break new boundaries. This is certainly one of the most pleasing during my time with the organisation, because I know it means so much to so many.”