Emirates FA Cup Final 2025/26
Betting tips, odds & predictions for England's most prestigious final
Written by: Phil Blackwell • Last updated: 3 May 2026
FA Cup Final betting, odds & free bets
⭐️ Chelsea face Manchester City on 16 May in the 145th FA Cup Final. City are making history as the first team to reach four consecutive finals. Get the latest odds and free bets from our verified betting partners below.
Under 2.5 Goals
The last five FA Cup Finals have averaged just 1.6 goals. One final went to penalties after a goalless draw.
The 2026 FA Cup Final brings Chelsea and Manchester City to Wembley for a showpiece that pits one of the competition’s most successful clubs against its most dominant recent force.
It’ll be first time these two sides have met in an FA Cup Final with City chasing the Premier League title and looking to avenge back-to-back final defeats in 2024 and 2025.
Chelsea arrive in turmoil having sacked Liam Rosenior in April, but their cup form tells a different story. The Blues have scored 21 goals in five FA Cup games this season.
Below you’ll find our full match preview, the route to Wembley for both clubs, offers from the UK’s top sport betting sites, plus expert betting tips for 2026 FA Cup Final.
Chelsea
8 time winners
Man City
7 time winners
🏟️ Wembley Stadium, London · Capacity: 90,000
The contrast in form between Chelsea and Manchester City could not be starker. City beat Arsenal in a crunch Premier League game at the Etihad, then followed it up with an away win at Burnley and a semi-final victiory over Southampton.
Chelsea lost five league games in a row, failing to score in three of them, before beating Leeds in their semi-final.
Guardiola will be desperate to end a run of two consecutive FA Cup Final defeats against Manchester United and Crystal Palace, while Chelsea will be looking to lift the famous trophy for the first time since 2018.
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Place your bets with confidence for the 2026 FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City using our interactive table below.
Click any betting market name to skip directly to our full betting tip and then click through to see the latest odds. Place your bets before it’s too late.
| Market (Click to bet) | WFW Tip | Conf. |
|---|---|---|
| Match Result | Man City to Win | Strong |
| Both Teams to Score | No | Good |
| Over/Under Goals | Under 2.5 | Good |
| First Goalscorer | Erling Haaland | Value |
| Correct Score | Man City 2-0 | Value |
| To Lift the Trophy | Man City | Strong |
City scored a devastating 21 goals and conceded just three on their way to Wembley. Their 4-0 demolition of Liverpool in the quarter-final, complete with an Erling Haaland hat-trick, was the standout performance.
Chelsea have also scored 21 goals and conceded three, but their path was significantly easier, with no Premier League opposition until their semi-final against Leeds.
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| SF | Leeds Utd N | W 1-0 |
| QF | Port Vale H | W 7-0 |
| R5 | Wrexham A | W 4-2 (aet) |
| R4 | Hull City A | W 4-0 |
| R3 | Charlton A | W 5-1 |
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| SF | Southampton N | W 2-1 |
| QF | Liverpool H | W 4-0 |
| R5 | Newcastle A | W 3-1 |
| R4 | Salford City H | W 2-0 |
| R3 | Exeter City H | W 10-1 |
Chelsea and Man City have met 182 times across all competitions. Chelsea hold a narrow all-time lead with 71 wins to City’s 69, but the modern picture is completely different.
Chelsea haven’t beaten City since the 2021 Champions League Final, a run stretching across 13 meetings. City have won eight and drawn three of those matches, scoring 26 goals.
The most recent meeting saw City win 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in April, with second-half goals from O’Reilly, Guehi and Doku. Chelsea haven’t scored more than once against City in any of their last six encounters.
Double - Over 2.5 Cards & BTTS (No)
Chelsea have had two players sent off in previous FA Cup Finals and the Wembley showpiece is an historically cagey affair.
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/04/26 | ChelseaCHE | 0-3 | Man CityMCI | PL |
| 04/01/26 | Man CityMCI | 1-1 | ChelseaCHE | PL |
| 25/01/25 | Man CityMCI | 3-1 | ChelseaCHE | PL |
| 18/08/24 | ChelseaCHE | 0-2 | Man CityMCI | PL |
| 20/04/24 | Man CityMCI | 1-0 | ChelseaCHE | FA Cup |
While the two sides have never met in an FA Cup Final, they do have history in other showpiece occassions. Chelsea beat City 1-0 in the 2021 Champions League Final and City won the 2019 League Cup Final on penalties.
City also won the Community Shield against Chelsea when the two met at Wembley in August 2018.
A combination of Chelsea not beating City since 2021 and their awful league form heading into the final means we can’t see anything other than the trophy heading back to Manchester.
City will be motivated after losing the last two FA Cup finals and on course for a cup double after beating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup Final in March.
We expect Guardiola’s side to control the gamefrom start to finish and for Chelsea’s recent inability to score against top opposition to be their undoing.
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Here are the key markets for the 2026 FA Cup Final, with our top expert tips for your bets at WFW Bet.
Match result
💡 WFW tip: City have won eight of the last 14 meetings. Chelsea’s league form has been in free fall.
💡 WFW tip: Chelsea have failed to score multiple recent PL games and City kept a clean sheet against The Blues last month.
Over/Under Goals
💡 WFW tip: The last five FA Cup Finals have averaged just 1.6 goals. One final went to penalties after a goalless draw.
💡 WFW tip: Haaland scored a hat-trick in the quarter-final against Liverpool and is this season’s FA Cup’s top scorer.
Over/Under Cards
💡 WFW tip: Three of the last five finals produced three or more bookings. Chelsea have had two players sent off in FA Cup Finals (Moses 2017, Kovacic 2020).
💡 WFW tip: A safer bet than match result covering extra time and penalties if Chelsea somehow force it.
FA Cup Double
A data-backed repeat of a winning League Cup double bet in March.
WFW TIP: City to lift the trophy + Under 2.5 goals
Fa Cup Double
Will Salah’s 17th goal against United bring Liverpool a win? We don’t think so.
WFW TIP: Man City to Win + BTTS (No)
Combining our best tips into a single bet with our 2026 FA Cup Final Bet Builder.
Increase your return with by betting on multiple outcomes to happen in one game. Click the button in the table below to load your Chelsea vs Man City Bet Builder into a bet slip automatically at WFW Bet.
The Double Chance leg of our Bet Builder acknowledges that cup finals can produce surprises, while the Under 2.5 and corners legs back the historical trends. Haaland on target is close to a certainty given his cup form.
However, if you want to be bolder and accept more risk, we suggest adding an additional the market of Haaland as first goalscorer. Load this bet builder here.
Prefer to spot your own patterns? Here’s how the last six FA Cup Finals ended, along with notes about what made them unique.
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-Up | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Crystal Palace | 1-0 | Manchester City | Palace’s first ever major trophy |
| 2024 | Manchester United | 2-1 | Manchester City | Ten Hag’s final silverware |
| 2023 | Manchester City | 2-1 | Manchester United | Part of City’s historic treble |
| 2022 | Liverpool | 0-0 (P) | Chelsea | Liverpool won 6-5 on penalties |
| 2021 | Leicester City | 1-0 | Chelsea | Leicester’s first FA Cup in 137 years |
The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world, first contested in 1871-72. The 2026 showpiece is the 145th final.
Manchester City’s history in the competition includes the 100th final back in 1981, where they lost in a replay against Tottenham. Ricky Villa won it for Spurs in the 76th minute with a winding run and finish which was later voted Wembley Goal of the Century.
Crystal Palace are the defending champions following their dramatic 1-0 victory over Manchester City in 2025, marking Palace’s first ever major trophy in their 120-year history.
| Club | Wins | Most Recent |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 14 | 2019-20 |
| Manchester United | 13 | 2023-24 |
| Liverpool | 8 | 2021-22 |
| Chelsea | 8 | 2017-18 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 1990-91 |
| Manchester City | 7 | 2022-23 |
Ilkay Gundogan (12 secs)
Ilkay Gundogan scored just 12 seconds into the 2023 final against Manchester United for the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history.
Chelsea (3)
Chelsea lost a record three consecutive FA Cup Finals in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Blues haven’t won the trophy since beating Man Utd 1-0 in 2018.
Didier Drogba (4)
With his goal in the 2012 Final against Liverpool, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba became the first player to score in four separate FA Cup finals. Chelsea won the trophy on each occasion.
Stan Mortensen (1953)
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The 2026 FA Cup Final will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and free-to-air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Coverage is expected to begin around 13:00 BST with kick-off at 15:00. Radio coverage will be on BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT.
Wembley Stadium holds 90,000 spectators. Each finalist receives an allocation of approximately 32,000 tickets, with the remaining seats distributed to sponsors, neutrals and the FA.
Got questions about the 2026 Emirates FA Cup final? Here’s everything you need to know.
The FA Cup final is on Saturday 16 May 2026. Kick-off is at 15:00 BST at Wembley Stadium in London.
Chelsea face Manchester City. Chelsea beat Leeds 1-0 in the semi-final, while City beat Southampton 2-1.
You can bet on the FA Cup final with any UKGC-licensed bookmaker. Our exclusive partners at WFW Bet offer competitive odds and a generous welcome offer for new customers.
The 2026 FA Cup Final will be shown live on TNT Sports and free-to-air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Crystal Palace won the 2025 FA Cup, beating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley for their first ever major trophy.
No, this is their first FA Cup Final meeting. They have met in the 2021 Champions League Final (Chelsea 1-0) and the 2019 League Cup Final (City won on penalties).
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