The 1885–86 Football Association Challenge Cup was the 15th edition of the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
, England's oldest
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
tournament. There were 130 entrants, sixteen more than in the previous season, although six teams did not play a match. Five Scottish clubs entered but one was eliminated in the first round in an all-Scottish tie and travel constraints caused the rest to withdraw.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...
became the second team to win the competition in three successive seasons and, as of 2024, they remain the last to do so. The final between Blackburn and
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club (), commonly known as West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the Englis ...
is the earliest to have been contested by two extant clubs that are still members of either the
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
or the
English Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...
.
First round
Notes. ''In all rounds, a ''walkover'' means the tie was not played and the first-named team progressed to the next round. If a match was ''declared void'' for any reason, a replay was necessary.''
Replays
Second replays
Second round
Replays
Third round
Replay
Fourth round
Fifth round
Replay
Second replay
Sixth round
Semi-finals
Final
Replay
References
FA Cup Results Archive* ''The Complete Record of the FA Cup'' by Mike Collett (2003). SportsBooks Ltd, Cheltenham.
{{DEFAULTSORT:FA Cup 1885–86
1885–86
1885–86 in English football cups