The 1888–89 FA Cup was the 18th edition of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.
Qualifying rounds
Following the formation of the Football League, this season saw the introduction of qualifying rounds, with League clubs given the right to request automatic exemption to the first round proper. However, officials at Bolton Wanderers , Everton, Notts County and Stoke failed to apply for the necessary exemptions and so those clubs were entered at the first qualifying round stage. Everton withdrew from the competition after being drawn to meet Ulster in Belfast in their first match, while Stoke became the first League club to be eliminated by non-League opponents when they fell to Warwick County at the Victoria Ground also in the first qualifying round. Ultimately only Notts County successfully progressed to the competition proper after Bolton Wanderers lost to Linfield Athletic in Belfast in the third qualifying round.
