2026 FA Cup Final

The 2026 FA Cup Final is set for Wembley on Saturday, 16 May and will kick off at 3 pm BST, with Chelsea facing Manchester City for the trophy.

Man City books another FA Cup final. The team reached a record fourth successive FA Cup final with goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez. On the other hand, A 23rd-minute header from captain Enzo Fernandez secured the Blues’ spot in the final, marking their 17th appearance in the showpiece event.

City will be chasing their eighth FA Cup title, while Chelsea hopes to add the trophy to the Carabao Cup they secured earlier this season. Having already won the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea is now eyeing another title this season after defeating their opponents in the 2026 FA Cup Final.

Manchester City have reached a record four consecutive FA Cup finals but have lost the last two in 2024 and 2025.

But the question is, can Chelsea Defeat Manchester City, especially under the fresh leadership of interim head coach Calum McFarlane?

Can Chelsea beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final?

Chelsea have done the hard part by reaching the final, but this is a brutally difficult last step. Manchester City arrive with a huge amount of Wembley experience and, according to The FA, they have reached a record fourth successive FA Cup final appearance, while also making the semi-finals for a ninth time in ten seasons under Pep Guardiola.

Chelsea, meanwhile, booked their place in the final after beating Leeds United in the semi-final, setting up a classic heavyweight final against City.

Current Form and Head-to-Head

Historically, the match-up leans heavily in City’s favour. Chelsea is currently enduring a 13-match winless streak against the Citizens across all competitions, with their last victory coming in the 2021 Champions League Final.

In the 2025-26 Premier League season, City dominated the head-to-head: 

• 12 April 2026: Manchester City 3–0 Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
• 4 January 2026: Manchester City 1–1 Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.

Match preview

This 2026 FA Cup Final feels like a battle between control and momentum. Manchester City’s recent FA Cup record is relentless, and their consistency at this stage makes them the team to beat. The FA’s own stats show just how dominant City have been under Guardiola, and that kind of big-game rhythm matters in a final.

Chelsea will need to be smart, compact and ruthless. Finals at Wembley are often decided by the first big moment, and Chelsea’s best route to victory is to stay alive deep into the match and punish any City mistake. That is easier said than done, but the FA Cup has never been short of surprises.

• Tournament: 2026 FA Cup Final
• Match: Man City vs Chelsea
• Date: Saturday, 16 May 2026
• Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
• Kick-off: 15:00 GMT (3:00 PM UK)

“No team has made four finals in a row. It’s extraordinary, and hopefully we can arrive with a good momentum,” City manager Pep Guardiola told the BBC.

Prediction

Manchester City look slightly stronger on form and Cup pedigree, but Chelsea are dangerous enough to make this a real final, not a procession. If Chelsea defends well and takes their moments, they can absolutely push City to the edge. Still, City’s consistency in the FA Cup makes them the safer pick.

How will Chelsea break Manchester City’s Wembley pattern?

City’s run to yet another final suggests they enter as favorites, but Chelsea have enough quality and final-day experience to make it competitive.

If Chelsea start well and avoid giving City early control, this could become a much tighter contest than the paper form suggests. That is an inference based on the City’s recent record and Chelsea’s path to the final.