We know that Newcastle United will play Bournemouth in the third round of the FA Cup in January, but is a cup run even worth it?
Last season, Newcastle United fans revelled in the glory of the club’s Carabao Cup triumph. Another piece of silverware added to the trophy cabinet would be nice this season, of course.
The FA Cup presents a great opportunity for that, but the Magpies have not lifted that trophy since 1955. So, could this be the year that they end that long wait?
With Bournemouth awaiting Newcastle in the third round, it’s not going to be easy to get past the first hurdle. But, in purely financial terms, it may not even be beneficial to progress in the competition.
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The FA Cup does not bring in big money for Newcastle United
Geordie Boot Boys spoke to finance expert Adam Williams about FA Cup prize money and the hidden costs of playing in the competition, and it sounds like an early exit wouldn’t be the worst thing.
He said: “There is a reason that most Premier League clubs – and certainly those who expect to be in Europe more often than not, like Newcastle – have actively sought to limit the cup competitions. I’m not aware of Newcastle’s actual position on this, but most clubs in their position see the League Cup and, albeit to a lesser extent, the FA Cup as unwelcome distractions. At least until they get to the latter stages, that is.
“You get about £115,000 for winning in the third round, £120,000 in the fourth, £225,000 in the fifth, £450,000 in the quarters, £1m in the semis and £2m for winning the cup outright. So, cumulatively, this year’s champions will get just shy of £4m in prize money.
Can you name the player?
Newcastle will face this man very soon…
“For context, if Newcastle win in the Champions League tomorrow night [against Bayer Leverkusen], they’ll get just shy of £2m. And for every place they finish higher in the Premier League, they get about £3m. So £4m is chump change to them, really, although it is considerably more than the League Cup, where Newcastle only got about £100,000 in prize money.”
Newcastle fans are worried about Bournemouth and fear the Magpies will fall at the first hurdle in the New Year, but clearly the club will not be missing out on much if they were to lose. In fact, paradoxically, with Newcastle being at home, there is even less in the way of financial reward for playing in the FA Cup.
Williams added: “The other way clubs make money is through ticket sales. In the Premier League, you retain all of your gate receipts. But in cup competitions, you must give away 45% of the profits to the opposition and 10% to the FA. For an early-round FA Cup game, Newcastle are probably generating about £1.5m. So after deducting expenses and giving 55% away, you’re left with next to nothing.
“And if we think about it more laterally, the club still pays out goal bonuses, appearance fees and so on. Plus, there is the risk of injuries, which you effectively lose money on too.”
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There are positives to an FA Cup run
Obviously, it is not all doom and gloom though. A cup run is good news, regardless of the monetary side of things, and fans would love to see the Magpies go all the way.
Not only would that kind of success be incredible for the club in terms of pride, it would also help boost the global reputation of Newcastle United quite considerably.
The iconic speech Bruno Guimaraes gave his Newcastle United teammates before the 2025 Carabao Cup final.
Williams explained: “It’s another game that you’re in front of the cameras, which is ultimately what gives you leverage in talks with sponsors. And, as Newcastle proved last season, if you get some glory in the cup competitions it can lead to a commercial boom, with more retail sales, advertising opportunities and so on.
“If you’re looking at it purely through an economic lens, the FA Cup has probably outlived its usefulness to a lot of big clubs. Of course, as fans, that is a completely alien way of thinking. Football is about glory and magic, not the bottom line.
“I think that’s something we’ll have to keep shouting about in the coming years, because there are a lot of clubs’ owners who are keen to erode the traditions of English football because they aren’t cost-efficient. It’s the American way, and our game is increasingly being dictated by American capital.”
So, forget the money. This game is about glory, and Newcastle should relish challenging for every trophy they can.
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