FA Cup Final 2026 Date, Teams & How to Watch

The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is down to the last two teams with Chelsea and Manchester City set to duel in the FA Cup Final 2026 on March 16 in a blockbuster clash of European football titans.

The oldest national football competition in the world, the FA Cup will conclude the 145th final of English football’s primary cup competition. Man City is a heavy favorite on the soccer betting board in the all EPL matchup. While the clubs have a long history this is the first meeting in the FA Cup Final

When Is the FA Cup Final 2026?

Taking a break from their English Premier League schedule the teams meet in the FA Cup Final 2026 on Saturday, May 16. Both clubs as expected cruised through the early rounds before posting close, one-score semifinal victories setting up this monumental final.

The match will kick off from England’s national football venue Wembley Stadium in London at 10 a.m. ET. Television coverage of the FA Cup Final 2026 will be provided by ESPN2. The clubs are playing the final following semifinal wins in the last weekend in April.

FA Cup Final Kickoff Time and Location

The FA Cup Final is scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) inside Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, May 16, 2026. In addition to hosting the FA Cup Final, England’s national football stadium hosts a majority of the England national team home matches and other major English soccer games.

With a capacity of 90,000, Wembley is the largest stadium in the UK and the second largest in Europe. Wembley is widely regarded as one of the most well-known soccer venues in the world.

How the FA Cup Final Works

The entire FA Cup tournament is played with a pure knockout format with a single match determining which teams advance. The FA Cup Final format is the same with a winner-takes-all match.

If the score is tied after 90 minutes plus stoppage the match proceeds to 30 minutes of extra time. If still tied after the extra time session a penalty shootout will be used to determine the match winner.

The champions are awarded the FA Cup, but do not hold ownership of the trophy. It is loaned to the winning team by the FA and must be returned the following year. There is also a healthy chunk of prize money and automatic entry into the next UEFA Europa League.

What Happens if the Match Ends in a Draw?

The Final must produce a winner with additional measures in place to determine such an outcome. If the match is tied after 90 minutes and stoppage teams will play two additional 15-minute halves to completion. If still tied after 120 minutes the penalty kick shootout takes place with each team taking five initial kicks. After that the shootout reverts to sudden death.

FA Cup Final 2026 Match Preview

For the first time ever two historic EPL clubs will meet in the FA Cup Final. Manchester City is making its fourth straight appearance in the Final and looks to end a 2-year losing streak. City dropped a 1-0 decision to Crystal Palace last year after dueling with Manchester United the previous two years.

City is the heavy favorite in FA Cup betting to lift the trophy with an implied probability of 71 percent. They are also pursuing the domestic double after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup final in March. Here is a complete FA Cup Final preview.

Manchester City

Despite a nice run in the Premier League, Manchester City is likely to finish second in the standings. After losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League in April, City has gone unbeaten in 8 matches posting 7 wins and a draw, including a 3-0 clean sheet over Chelsea on Apr. 12.

Using its explosive offensive attack City scored 20 goals during its current unbeaten run. They have had a congested schedule of late with their overall depth helping them continue to win matches. This will be City’s third match in a week.

Striker Erling Haaland will be a marked man. The EPL goal scoring leader with 26, Haaland recorded a hat trick in the 4-0 quarterfinal win over Liverpool. Jeremy Doku scored a goal in the most recent match with Chelsea and is another force up front.

Chelsea

A woeful stretch of games forced Chelsea to make a coaching change ahead of their FA Cup semifinal match with Leeds. It’s still too early to tell if the club can make a turnaround under interim Calum McFarlane. Chelsea lost five straight EPL games without scoring a goal before making the switch.

A goal from Enzo Fernandez was all Chelsea needed to beat Leeds and earn their spot in the FA Cup Final. The offense is still MIA but the defense shut down a decent squad. Chelsea has to maintain its defensive rigidity against City’s relentless attack.

Fernandez was the hero in the semifinal providing an offensive spark the club hadn’t seen in weeks. His perfect header proved to be the game winner against Leeds. Fernandez is the club’s second leading goal scorer in EPL matches to Joao Pedro, who has netted 15 markers.

Key Players to Watch

• Erling Haaland – Leading the EPL in goals this season, Haaland is the lynch pin of City’s offense. His stunning hat trick in the quarterfinal win showed his current devastating form.
• Jeremy Doku – His creativity handling the ball has aided Haaland in his goal scoring. Doku has been lethal in the last two FA Cups.
• Enzo Fernandez – The FA Cup seems to bring out the best in Fernandez, who has been involved in 6 goals in 9 FA Cup matches.
• Levi Colwill – Shutting down City’s attack is the assignment of Colwill, who was praised as the “best player on the pitch” in his recent return from injury.

FA Cup Final 2026 Predictions and Expectations

There is a reason why City is heavily favored to win the trophy. They’ve played well recently with the attack led by Haaland lethal in most instances. The teams played an EPL match last month with City recording a dominant 3-0 win.

Both teams have added motivation in this match other than being heated rivals in the highest level of English football. City is back in the final for a fourth consecutive year having lost the last two trips. Recent Premier League struggles mean this final is Chelsea’s best chance to secure a Europa League spot next season.

The return of defenders Levi Colwill and Reece James will help Chelsea thwart City attacks. However, the depth and playmaking ability of Doku should give City enough opportunities to score. And Chelsea hasn’t shown it can pressure opponents enough to counter.

Factors That Could Decide the Final

• City has played a number of matches recently while Chelsea has had a more relaxed schedule. That could benefit Chelsea, giving them a physical advantage in the late stages of the match.
• Recent form has favored City with 7 wins and a draw in their last 8 matches. Conversely Chelsea has struggled with no wins in the last 7 EPL matches.
• Man City has the more experienced squad making its fourth straight appearance in the FA Cup Final. Losing the last two, though, puts them at a psychological disadvantage.

Where to Watch the FA Cup Final 2026

Plenty of options are available to watch the FA Cup Final. In the U.S. ESPN is the exclusive holder of FA Cup matches, including the final. The match will air on ESPN2 on Saturday, May 16. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. (local time), 10 a.m. ET and 7 a.m. PT. ESPN will simulcast the final alongside the digital stream on ESPN+.

In the UK the FA Cup Final will be broadcast on BBC One and TNT Sports with streaming available via BBC iPlayer and HBO Max. Globally fans can tune in through local FA Cup broadcast partners.