Manchester City beat Chelsea to win FA Cup final
By Luke Oluoch, May 16, 2026Manchester City have pipped Chelsea to the 2026 FA Cup trophy following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Blues on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Wembley Stadium.
Antoine Semenyo’s expertly taken goal in the 70th minute was all Pep Guardiola’s side needed to edge past a resilient Chelsea, sealing a heartbreaking end to the Blues’ domestic campaign.
On the other hand, the triumph proved to be a fitting finale for City, who have now completed a domestic cup double, having also beaten Arsenal to the Carabao Cup in April 2026.
City chasing treble?
The victory also provides a massive morale boost as they continue to chase the Premier League title race against Arsenal’s side, whom they currently trail at the top of the league standings with just two games left to conclude the season.
The triumph marks the 20th piece of silverware overall for Pep Guardiola since his arrival on the English shores. Meanwhile, Chelsea saw their attempt to capture a record-equaling ninth FA Cup title end in bitter fashion.
Dreams for Europe dashed
As well as missing out on the trophy, Chelsea also miss out on a Europa League place, which would have come with it even as a goal looks unlikely to be achieved with a top-seven finish in the Premier League.
The clash kicked off with the Blues keeping their guard intact as City went for the attack. The citizens on their return to Wembley needed inspiration to get them going after past years’ slumps in the final, and it came late from the former Bournemouth player.
Semenyo latched onto an Erling Haaland forward pass to beat Robert Sánchez at the Chelsea goal with a brilliant flick.
Chances
Stunned by the goal and time running out. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez came close for Callum McFarlane’s charges. The Ecuadorian saw a header cleared away from danger, while Fernandez could only find the roof of the net from a promising move.
The last final chances fell to City, with Rayan Cherki stinging the palms of Sanches with a fierce drive that the Spaniard kept out.
With the win assured, City sealed their eighth FA Cup triumph, a feat that put them third on the competition list. Only Arsenal (14) and Manchester United (13) have won it more times.
Premier League return
Chelsea now face Tottenham at home on Tuesday, May 19, before completing their Premier League campaign at Sunderland on the final day, Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Man City is also in action on Tuesday, going to Bournemouth for a 7.30pm kick-off before concluding their season at home to Aston Villa on May 24, 2026.