What is the difference between the FA Cup and the Community Shield?

If you are new to Football and follow a Premier League club then you must wonder what other domestic competitions the teams play in. The FA Cup and the Community Shield are two such competitions where English Clubs participate. But what’s the difference? Let’s find out.

FA Cup vs Community Shield: The Difference explained.

FA Cup:

The FA Cup is one of the 2 official cup competitions of English football. It is an annual knockout competition played between over 700 clubs from different divisions of English football.

• Competition Format:  The FA Cup is a knockout competition, which means the team that loses is knocked out of the competition and the team that wins qualifies for the next round.
• Tiebreaker: From Round 2 of the FA Cup. If the match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, it is followed by 30 minutes of extra time and penalties. All the matches in Round 1 and before go to replays.
• Number of Matches and Venue: The total number of matches a team will play in the FA Cup depends on the level at which they start. A lower division team might have to play up to 14 matches if they reach the final, while a Premier League team has to play 6 games if they  make it to the Final
• The venues are decided based on the draw, and the Semifinals and Finals are played at Wembley Stadium.
• Price: The winners of the FA Cup add the FA Cup trophy to their cabinet and gain a spot in the Community Shield, and also get an automatic spot in next year’s UEFA Europa League.

The winners of the FA Cup get 2 million pounds in cash, and the runners-up get 1 million pounds. However, the total price depends on how many rounds a team progresses through.

Community Shield:

The Community Shield is a curtain raiser of the English footballing season and is a one-off match played between the previous season’s Premier League Champions and the FA Cup winners.

• Competition Format: The FA Community Shield is a one-match competition played between the winners of the Premier League and the FA Cup.
• If a team does a domestic double, then the other spot goes to the runners-up in the Premier League.
• Tiebreaker:  If the match ends in a draw after regulation time, it goes straight to penalties. There is no extra time as compared to the FA Cup.
• Number of matches and Venue: The Community Shield is a one-off game, and it is played at Wembley Stadium.
• Price: The winners of the Community Shield add the Community Shield to their cabinet, and the Prize money is equally distributed among the teams due to the charitable nature of the tournament.

Which is more reputable competition, the FA Cup or the Community Shield?

Although UEFA considers the Community Shield a competitive competition, it is often regarded as a friendly, and teams usually don’t go all in in this match.

The FA Cup, on the other hand, is the biggest cup competition in England, and hence it is undeniably the more reputable competition.

To summarise the difference between the two competitions:

Conclusion:

To conclude, both competitions are integral parts of English football and serve their respective purposes. The FA Cup is the biggest cup competition with over 700 teams competing from across the country and a European spot up for grabs, the Community Shield is the curtain raiser and gets the Footballing season off a mark. Ultimately, both competitions contribute to the rich mosaic of English football and continue to captivate fans with their unique appeals.