Why the 2011 FA Cup Final was played two weeks early at Wembley
In short: The 130th FA Cup Final was an anomaly in English football history. Because Wembley Stadium was booked to host the 2011 Champions League Final, the FA Cup showpiece was forced to move to the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, sharing the spotlight with a full slate of league matches.
The 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th edition of the world's oldest knockout football competition. A total of 759 clubs were accepted into the tournament, which began on 14 August 2010. The final, held on 14 May 2011, saw Manchester City defeat Stoke City 1–0, with Yaya Touré scoring the decisive goal in the 74th minute. This victory marked a significant moment for Manchester City, who had already secured a top-four finish in the Premier League, thereby qualifying for the 2011–12 Champions League. Consequently, runners-up Stoke City earned a spot in the 2011–12 Europa League.
The scheduling of the final was dictated by the Champions League Final, which was set for 28 May 2011 at Wembley. This forced the FA Cup organizers to move their final forward by at least two weeks. The result was a crowded domestic calendar where the cup final occurred while other Premier League teams were still playing their regular season fixtures. The tournament itself featured notable underdog stories, including Crawley Town, which became the first non-League side to reach the fifth round since 1994.
Broadcasting rights for the season were held by ITV as the free-to-air partner, while ESPN took over the subscription package previously held by Setanta Sports. The competition also saw bizarre moments, such as the second-round draw conducted by musicians Noel Gallagher and Sergio Pizzorno, who each famously selected the balls of the clubs they supported. Despite the unusual scheduling constraints, the tournament maintained its tradition of giant-killings, such as when Northern Premier League side FC United of Manchester shocked League One's Rochdale in the first round.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2010–11 FA Cup
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