The 1881–82 Football Association Challenge Cup was the 11th staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. Seventy-three teams entered, eleven more than last season, although five of the seventy-three never actually played a match.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Teams | 73 |
| Defending champions | Old Carthusians |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Old Etonians |
| Runner-up | Blackburn Rovers |
First round
editReplays
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clapham Rovers | 0–1 | Old Etonians | 19 November 1881 |
| Pilgrims | 5–0 | Mosquitos | 12 November 1881 |
| Acton | 4–0 | Finchley | 12 November 1881 |
| Turton | 1–1 | Astley Bridge | 12 November 1881 |
| Astley Bridge | 3–3 | Turton | 19 November 1881 |
| Turton | 2–0 | Astley Bridge | 26 November 1881 |
| Reading Abbey | 2–1 | Woodford Bridge | 12 November 1881 |
| Eagley | 0–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 12 November 1881 |
Second round
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen | 3–1 | Accrington | 26 November 1881 |
| Reading | 1–1 West End disqualified | West End | 26 November 1881 |
| Sheffield | 0–4 | Sheffield Heeley | 26 November 1881 |
| Royal Engineers | Bye | ||
| Marlow | 2–0 | St Bart's Hospital | 30 November 1881 |
| Maidenhead | 2–1 | Acton | 3 December 1881 |
| Old Etonians | Bye | ||
| Swifts | 7–1 | Old Harrovians | 19 November 1881 |
| Notts County | 5–3 Match void | Wednesbury Strollers | 24 November 1881 |
| Old Foresters | 3–1 | Pilgrims | 3 December 1881 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 6–2 | Bolton Wanderers | 19 November 1881 |
| Hanover United | 1–3 | Upton Park | 26 November 1881 |
| Aston Villa | Bye | ||
| Turton | 4–0 | Bootle | 3 December 1881 |
| Old Carthusians | 7–1 | Barnes | 3 December 1881 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Bye | ||
| Reading Minster | 3–1 | Romford | 3 December 1881 |
| Reading Abbey | 1–4 | Hotspur | 26 November 1881 |
| Dreadnought | Bye | ||
| Staveley | 3–1 | Grantham | 28 November 1881 |
| Wednesbury Old Athletic | 6–0 | Small Heath Alliance | 3 December 1881 |
Replay
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notts County | 11–1 | Wednesbury Strollers | 10 December 1881 |
Third round
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darwen | 4–1 | Turton | 17 December 1881 |
| Reading | Bye | ||
| Upton Park | Bye | ||
| Old Etonians | 3–0 | Swifts | 17 December 1881 |
| Old Foresters | Bye | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | Bye | ||
| Hotspur | 0–0 | Reading Minster | 17 December 1881 |
| Aston Villa | 2–2 | Notts County | 31 December 1881 |
| Old Carthusians | 0–2 | Royal Engineers | 20 December 1881 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2–2 | Staveley | 29 December 1881 |
| Dreadnought | 1–2 | Marlow | 17 December 1881 |
| Maidenhead | Bye | ||
| Sheffield Heeley | Bye | ||
| Wednesbury Old Ath | Bye |
Replays
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotspur | 2–0 | Reading Minster | 26 December 1881 |
| Notts County | 2–2 | Aston Villa | 7 January 1882 |
| Staveley | 0–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 7 January 1882 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 5–1 | Staveley | 9 January 1882 |
| Aston Villa | 4–1 | Notts County | 14 January 1882 |
Fourth round
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlow | Walkover | Reading | |
| Upton Park | 5–0 | Hotspur | 21 January 1882 |
| Old Etonians | 6–3 | Maidenhead | 14 January 1882 |
| Old Foresters | 2–1 | Royal Engineers | 21 January 1882 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 5–1 | Darwen | 30 January 1882 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 3–1 | Sheffield Heeley | 21 January 1882 |
| Wednesbury Old Athletic | 4–2 | Aston Villa | 21 January 1882 |
Fifth round
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Etonians | Bye | ||
| Old Foresters | 0–0 | Marlow | 14 February 1882 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 3–1 | Wednesbury Old Athletic | 11 February 1882 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 6–0 | Upton Park | 7 February 1882 |
Replay
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlow | 1–0 | Old Foresters | 18 February 1882 |
Semi-finals
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Etonians | 5–0 | Marlow | 4 March 1882 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 0–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | 6 March 1882 |
Replay
edit| Home Club | Score | Away Club | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Wednesday | 1–5 | Blackburn Rovers | 15 March 1882 |
Final
edit| Score | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Etonians | 1–0 | Blackburn Rovers | 25 March 1882 |
