Chelsea will face Manchester City in the 2026 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 16 May 2026, with kick-off set for 3:00 pm BST. The final will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports, HBO Max, BBC One, and iPlayer.
Both clubs booked their places through hard-fought semi-final wins. Chelsea beat Leeds United 1-0 thanks to an Enzo Fernández header, while Manchester City defeated Southampton 2-1 after a late comeback. City’s run also made them the first English side to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals.
This is the first FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City. Their most recent competitive meeting came in the league at Stamford Bridge on 12 April 2026, where the official Chelsea match page records a 3-0 win for Manchester City.
That result gives Pep Guardiola’s side a useful recent benchmark, although the final is a different contest entirely.
The 145th edition of the FA Cup is taking place in Spain. The 2025–26 FA Cup season kicked off on 16 May 2026, and now the tournament has reached its grand finale, featuring two top Premier League teams.
Here’s all you need to know about the 2026 FA Cup Final between Chelsea vs Manchester City, covering predictions, head-to-head stats, team lineups, kickoff time, and venue details.
Chelsea vs Manchester City – 2026 FA Cup Final
Match Information
- When: Saturday, 16 May 2026
- Stadium: Wembley Stadium in England
- Capacity: 90,000 spectators
- Kick-off Time: 03:00 PM local time (BST) in Spain.
- Live Score: fifaworldcupnews.com, and the Official site
According to the latest official semi-final lineups, Chelsea’s most recent starting XI featured: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Neto, Fernández, Garnacho; and João Pedro. Meanwhile, Manchester City’s lineup included: Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Aké, Ait-Nouri; Nico, Kovacic, Reijnders; and Cherki, Foden, Marmoush. These are the most up-to-date official starting lineups available, but they have not been confirmed as final.
On current form and momentum, City look slightly more settled because of their record FA Cup run, while Chelsea arrive with confidence after a narrow Wembley semi-final win. My inference is that this could be a tight final, with Manchester City holding a small edge if they control midfield and transition play.
Historical Context
Who are the defending Champions of the 2026 FA Cup?
Crystal Palace are the defending champions, having defeated Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final.
Head-to-Head history of Chelsea and Manchester City in the FA Cup Final?
This is the first time Chelsea and Manchester City have met in an FA Cup final. Their last significant encounter in a major final was the 2021 UEFA Champions League, which Chelsea won 1–0.
What is the tournament history of the FA Cup?
Chelsea is aiming for its ninth FA Cup title, while Manchester City is striving for its eighth.
2026 FA Cup Final: Chelsea vs Manchester City Starting XI
Chelsea Starting XI (4-2-3-1)
- GK: Robert Sanchez
- DF: Malo Gusto, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella
- MF: Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia
- AM: Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Alejandro Garnacho
- FW: Joao Pedro
- Notable Absentees: Estevao Willian and Levi Colwill
Manchester City Starting XI (4-1-4-1)
- GK: James Trafford
- DF: Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Josko Gvardiol
- DM: Rodri
- MF: Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Tijani Reijnders, Jeremy Doku
- FW: Erling Haaland
- Notable Absentees: Nico Gonzalez and Rayan Cherki offer strong alternatives off the bench.
Where to watch the FA Cup Final
From the starting tournament, 14 matches of the FA Cup 2025/26 will be shown for free on the BBC in the U.K.
| Region | Primary Broadcaster(s) | Platform Type |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | BBC One, ITV1, TNT Sports 1 | Free-to-Air & Pay TV |
| United States | ESPN Select | Subscription Stream |
| Australia | Stan Sport | Subscription Stream |
| Canada | Sportsnet / Sportsnet Plus | Pay TV & Stream |
