How it works
One match, and penalties if it is level
Every tie through to the quarter-finals is a single match. There is no extra time outside the final: a draw after ninety minutes goes straight to a shoot-out, which has been the rule since 2018 and is worth knowing when you plan the last train. The semi-finals are the exception, played over two legs in January.
Entry is staggered. Lower-division clubs start in August, Premier League clubs without European football join at the second round, and the nine in European competition enter at the third in September — which is why the third-round draw is the one neutrals watch.