The 2019–20 Buildbase FA Vase is the 46th season of the FA Vase, an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System. The competition is to be played with two qualifying rounds preceding the six proper rounds, semi-finals (played over two legs) and final to be played at Wembley Stadium. All first-leg ties until the semi-finals are played with extra time if level after 90 minutes – first-leg ties may also be resolved with penalties if both teams agree and notify the referee at least 45 minutes before kick-off, per rule 11a of the Rules of the Challenge Vase.[1]
The competition was paused at the semi-final stage due to the covid-19 pandemic. The competition will resume in September 2020, with the final scheduled for 27th September 2020.[2]
Originally scheduled for March 2020, the two-legged semi-finals were postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic. The FA declared their intention to complete the tournament, but with an uncertain timeframe.[14] By late August 2020, they were able to confirm that the semi-finals would be held in September as single matches, with a date of 27th September for the final at Wembley. The final, alongside the FA Trophy final held as part of the same event, will be among the matches trialling the return of spectators to elite football after the height of the first-wave of the pandemic in the UK. [2]