Fa Cup Final Tickets

Cutting through the thick sub-plots, one can only just make out the final destination of the road to glory for Chelsea & Portsmouth: 2010's FA Cup. The magic of the FA Cup is still very much alive. Responding to stinging criticism leveled against the oldest knockout association football competition in the world, this year's path to the May 15 FA Cup Final in Wembley has snaked its way through innumerable twists & turns. The more lucrative Premier League may still attract more delirious supporters, but all the FA Cup needed was a good, old-fashioned fairytale run. Portsmouth obliged. Knee-deep in financial chaos, officially bankrupt & under administration, bereft of ownership, & docked nine points by the FA which effectively sealed their relegation from the Premier League, Portsmouth have rallied under Avram Grant to bring him face-to-face with his former employers at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea. Grant will try to outwit players he coached only 2 years ago as the current League leaders, Chelsea, bring their well-oiled fighting machine to the fore at Wembley. It will be a match of epic proportions, befitting of the competition whose stage it graces. The FA Cup is a knockout football competition pitting teams of all divisions & conferences of English football against each other. It runs from August to May of each year.

The selection process for teams is very simple. There are no controversies of seeding, as ties are drawn by picking balls bearing team's names from a purple bag randomly. The home team for the match is also selected randomly. In case of a drawn match, the replay is held at the opposing team's home ground in 10 days time. Televised live, the FA Cup has 14 rounds, the first six of which are qualifying rounds, the next six proper rounds, followed by the semi-finals & final at Wembley. August brings the Extra Preliminary Round, the very first round of matches, contested by the lowest ranked teams around. Four rounds later, teams from the Conference North & Conference South enter at the Second Qualifying Round. Conference National teams light up the stage at the Fourth Qualifying hurdle, followed by participation of League One & Two teams in the First Round Proper. Ascending to the ninth overall round, the Third Round Proper, teams from the Championship & the Premier League (England's highest division) enter the fray. The competition proceeds to the Sixth Round Proper, which is essentially the quarterfinals stage. The semis follow at Wembley, before the May FA Cup Final at the same ground. For the last two rounds of matches, the replay rule is abolished, & matches are decided in extra-time & penalties. Portsmouth shocked Spurs via the extra-time route this year, whereas a double-chasing formidable Chelsea team rode on the wings of a late surge to knock Aston Villa out 3-0. The FA Cup Trophy has a lot of folklore attached to it, with the current trophy being a replica of the third trophy used since the competition started in 1871.

The national stadium, Wembley, has been used for the FA Cup Final since its reconstruction was completed in 2006, ending a 6-year stint for Cardiff's Millennium Stadium as the host. Prior to that, the old Wembley had been used since 1923, following a period where finals were held at random stadia within London. The current state of the Wembley pitch has come under intense criticism, however, with tufts of grass falling out of the re-laid pitch during the semis as players picked up needless injuries. The magic of the FA Cup has seen many giant-killing acts emerge, with 3 of the four 2008 semifinalists from outside the Premier League.

E.ON AG, an energy production group from Dusseldorf, Germany, struck a four-year deal in 2006 to sponsor the FA Cup. E.ON has definitely profited immensely from the deal, with global viewership mounting, & the 2007 FA Cup Final becoming the second best attended domestic club championship event in the world. Coming from the posh West London environment, Chelsea have enjoyed vociferous support, while neutrals might be rooting for a miracle from south coast club Portsmouth, after their unbelievable response to adversity won hearts.

Avram Grant will lead out his troops to do battle & regain the trophy from holders Chelsea in what promises to be a feisty encounter. May 15 beckons another David versus Goliath battle. & fans who have snapped up their FA Cup Final tickets can count themselves lucky as the spectacle dazzles football fans.