2004–05 FA Cup
The 2004–05 FA Cup was the 124th season of the world's oldest football competition, the FA Cup. The competition began on 28 August 2004, with the lowest-ranked of the entrants competing in the Extra preliminary round. For England's top 44 clubs, from the 2004–05 Premier League and 2004–05 Football League Championship, the FA Cup began at the third round in January.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England Wales |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Arsenal (10th title) |
| Runner-up | Manchester United |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Cristiano Ronaldo (4 goals) |
Ties were all single-legged and took place at the stadium of the club drawn first. If scores were level at the end of a match, the match was replayed at the away club's stadium, usually in the middle of the following week. If the scores are still level, extra-time and penalties (if necessary) are used to determine a winner. From the semi-finals onwards, the ties take place at a neutral stadium, and there are no replays. That is to say, extra-time and penalties are played if necessary to determine a winner in a single match.
The new Wembley Stadium was still at least a year away from being ready for use, so the final was staged at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on 21 May 2005. The final was won by Arsenal on penalties after a goalless draw with holders Manchester United, the first time that the FA Cup final had been decided on penalties.