The 1872–73 Football Association Challenge Cup was the second edition of the annual FA Cup, the oldest national football tournament in the world. Sixteen teams entered, one more than the previous season, although two teams never contested a match. It began on 19–26 October 1872 and ended at the final on 29 March 1873.
Wanderers successfully pursued its second Cup title, on 29 March 1873 in Lillie Bridge[1] having been accorded a bye to the final in keeping with the tournament being a "challenge" cup. They were also for the first and only time in Cup history accorded choice of venue.
Oxford University pursued the Cup defeating in the Fourth roundMaidenhead, 4–0. They were to contest Queen's Park, who had been accorded a bye to the Semi-final in consideration of reducing traveling costs for the team. Queen's Park withdrew giving Oxford University a walkover to the final that they lost, 2–0. Either 3,000 or 150 attended.[2]
The final had the only morning kick off in Cup history and the low attendance was attributed to attendees not staying the entire match as the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race was occurring later the same day.
Format
First round: Fourteen teams (all except Queen's Park and defending champions Wanderers) played and the seven winners advance.
Second round: Six teams played, the winners advancing. One team would get a bye.
Third round: The four second-round winners played. The winners advanced.
Fourth round: The two third-round winners played. The winners advanced.
Semi-final: The winning team from the fourth round would face Queen's Park. (However, this match was not needed as Queen's Park withdrew.)
Final: The semi-final winners faced Wanderers, the defending champions.
The final was played at Lillie Bridge, and had a morning kick-off for the only time in Cup history. The attendance was considered low, and of those who did attend, not all stayed for the whole duration of the game. This was attributed to the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race occurring later the same day.
