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. The nine non-League clubs progressing from the qualifying rounds were Wrexham, Sheffield Heeley, Chatham, Grimsby Town, South Shore, Old Brightonians, Linfield Athletic, Sunderland Albion and Small Heath but 14 other sides were given byes to the first round in order to bring the number of teams up to 32. These were Old Westminsters, Witton, Bootle, Swifts, Nottingham Forest, Halliwell, The Wednesday, Birmingham St George's, Walsall Town Swifts, Crewe Alexandra, Old Carthusians, Derby Junction, Notts Rangers and Long Eaton Rangers. For information on all matches played from the first qualifying round to the fourth qualifying round, see 1888–89 FA Cup qualifying rounds.

First round proper

Replays

Second round proper

Replay

Second replay

Third round proper

Semi-finals

Replay

Final