The Cup of plenty

Retaining the Cup this season would net Liverpool £4m.

The Football Association has broken with tradition to announce an unprecedented prize fund for the FA Cup next season.

Winning the actual final will be worth £2m in an overall £30m package set up by the FA.

Never before has money been awarded in the world's oldest knockout competition.

The cash - to be distributed to those winning matches as well as those appearing on television - is to be distributed at all levels.

For example, if the money was applied to last season, Liverpool would have earned £2.675m from winning matches alone.

It means that the entire game gets a chance to share in the revenue generated by the world's most famous domestic cup competition

FA chief executive
Adam Crozier

That sum would have supplemented that to almost £4m with live television screening.

The investment in the competition will also help clubs at the other end of the financial scale, however, with the 32 teams successful in a fourth-round qualifying tie reaping £20,000.

Increased money for TV coverage will also provide further funds for those lesser sides that are shown on highlights packages.

For the first time ever, each club that wins a tie at every stage of the competition will collect a set prize.

Last season's success story Wycombe would have picked up £725,000 in win bonuses alone for getting to the semi-final.

FA chief executive Adam Crozier said: "This is a unique way of ensuring that the FA Cup is used to redistribute money across every level of the game.

"It means that the entire game gets a chance to share in the revenue generated by the world's most famous domestic cup competition.

"The FA is committed to investing and helping all levels of football and to ensure the long-term health and success of the FA Cup itself."