The prize money for the Women's FA Cup will double this season to £6million.
The additional investment of £3m has been approved by the FA Board and represents the second time in successive seasons that the prize fund has been increased.
The new agreement means there will be a significant increase in prize money for clubs competing from the third round onwards.
The winners of the FA Cup will now bank £430,000, which is a huge increase on last year’s amount of £100,000.
The FA is committed to increasing its prize fund with the ultimate objective being equal prize money between the men’s and women’s competitions. The winners of the FA Cup in the men’s game this season will bank £2million.
Clubs competing in the third round of the Women’s FA Cup will access a prize pot of £44,000 per match, with the winners of ties taking home £35,000.
The third round is when the 12 Women’s Championship clubs enter, with 28 teams from outside of the professional game also in the hat by that point. The fourth round consists of 16 ties and marks the entry of 12 Women’s Super League (WSL) clubs.
Last year’s increase to Women’s FA Cup prize money was aimed at growing the pot for the earlier rounds of the competition, from the first round qualifying to the second round, so clubs lower down the pyramid could benefit.
Last season the Women’s FA Cup Final sold out for the first time, with a record crowd of 77,390 turning out to watch Chelsea defeat Manchester United 1-0.
Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s director of women’s football, said: “Doubling the prize money showcases The FA’s clear commitment to the future of the Women’s FA Cup and will help us maintain its stature as the most prestigious domestic women’s cup competition in the world.
“That’s why we’re delighted to be making a second successive increase to the prize fund, ensuring that as clubs progress through the competition they receive financial rewards that will empower them to invest in their own futures.
“Ultimately, we want the women’s competition to receive the same prize money as the men’s, and this new increase is a positive step in the direction of achieving that long-term ambition.”
