fa cup

Antoine Semenyo’s decisive backheel goal seals 2025-26 FA Cup glory for Manchester City against Chelsea

Updated on
May 16, 2026

**© Getty Images**Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City celebrates scoring

Manchester City lifts the 2025-26 FA Cup after a tight and tense final against Chelsea at Wembley, with Pep Guardiola’s side doing just enough to secure another major domestic honor. The match was decided by fine margins, with City showing greater composure in key moments while Chelsea repeatedly pushed but could not find an equalizer.

The opening stages saw City dominate possession and test Chelsea’s defensive shape with quick combinations in the final third. Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku were both involved in early attacks, though Chelsea’s back line held firm under pressure. The Blues came closest through set pieces and a few half-chances, but clear opportunities remained limited in the first 45 minutes.

The second half started with Chelsea’s renewed energy and immediately created pressure around the City penalty area. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernendez both tested the defensive structure with shots and forward runs that forced quick reactions.

Pep Guardiola’s side, however, eventually found the breakthrough through a moment of quality, with Antoine Semenyo producing a composed backheel finish inside the area. It was a decisive moment in a match that had remained finely balanced until that point.

Late pressure and final whistle

The closing stages saw Chelsea commit numbers forward in search of an equalizer, but City managed the game well under pressure. Caicedo, Palmer, and Neto all had late opportunities, yet none could find the final touch needed.

After five minutes of added time, Darren England brought the match to an end, confirming City as FA Cup winners once again. Guardiola added another trophy to his record at the club, while Chelsea was left to reflect on missed chances and fine margins.

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Missed chances cost Chelsea in FA Cup Final

The match was defined by small moments rather than sustained dominance from either side, with City taking their chance when it mattered most. Chelsea showed enough quality to trouble the champions but lacked the finishing edge in decisive situations.

For City, it is another Wembley triumph built on discipline and efficiency in key phases of the game. For Chelsea, the performance showed progress in spells but also highlighted the gap in consistency at this level.

12:00PM

Thanks for joining us!

That brings our live blog coverage of the FA Cup final to a close, as Manchester City secures victory over Chelsea at Wembley. It was a tense, dramatic contest from start to finish, but City ultimately did enough to lift the trophy once again. Thanks for joining us throughout the action. We’ll see you next time for more live coverage.

11:57AM

Full-time!

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It’s all over at Wembley! Manchester City is an FA Cup winner once again as Darren England blows the final whistle, sealing a dramatic victory over Chelsea.

It’s another trophy for Pep Guardiola’s side, with City digging in during a tense second half to protect its lead and see out the result in a fiercely contested final.

11:53AM

92'' – Third substitution for Chelsea (0-1)

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Chelsea is reduced to further frustration as Moises Caicedo is shown a yellow card for dissent after voicing his disagreement with the referee’s decisions. Darren England quickly intervenes to calm things down, booking the midfielder for going too far in his protests.

11:52AM

90' – Five minutes of added time (0-1)

There will be five minutes of added time at the end of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, setting up a tense finish as the game reaches its decisive closing moments.

11:47AM

84' – Manchester City hits the post! (0-1)

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Manchester City comes within inches of doubling its lead as Nico O’Reilly breaks down the left and Erling Haaland waits unmarked in the centre, but Moises Caicedo gets back brilliantly to cut out the danger.

The pressure doesn’t stop there, as City then strikes the post dramatically: Matheus Nunes reaches the byline and fires in a dangerous cross, which takes a deflection off Caicedo and Robert Sanchez before crashing back off the upright and away to safety.

11:46AM

83' – Third substitution for Chelsea (0-1)

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Chelsea is forced into a change as Joao Pedro goes off injured and is replaced by Alejandro Garnacho in attack. It’s a significant blow for Chelsea at a crucial stage of the FA Cup final against Manchester City, with Garnacho now coming on to add fresh pace and direct running in the closing stages.

11:44AM

83' – Second substitution for Chelsea (0-1)

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Chelsea makes a bold change in a bid to stay in the game as Reece James is withdrawn and Liam Delap is introduced to add more attacking presence. It’s a clear signal of intent from the bench as Chelsea push forward in the closing stages of the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

11:42AM

79' – Chelsea not giving up despite losing! (0-1)

Chelsea is throwing everything forward in search of an equalizer as Pedro Neto gets on the edge of the area and unleashes a powerful strike towards the roof of the net, only for the Manchester City goalkeeper to produce an outstanding save to keep his side ahead against Manchester City.

11:38AM

74' – Another penalty appeal by Chelsea (0-1)

Chelsea is once again left frustrated after another penalty appeal is waved away inside the box, this time involving Jorrel Hato. The defender goes down under pressure from Abdukodir Khusanov, but the referee is unmoved, with replays suggesting Hato may have initiated the contact by stepping across the defender.

11:36AM

74' – First substitution for Chelsea (0-1)

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Chelsea makes its first change as Marc Cucurella is replaced by Pedro Neto, with the Portuguese winger introduced to add fresh attacking energy down the flank. It’s a tactical switch as Chelsea looks to respond and push for an equalizer in this tight FA Cup final against Manchester City.

11:35AM

72' – Chelsea comes inch away from equalizing! (0-1)

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What a chance! Chelsea come agonisingly close to an equaliser as Enzo Fernandez finds space on the edge of the box after a clever pass into his feet. The Argentine shapes to shoot, but his effort flies just over the crossbar, sparing Manchester City as the ball goes out for a goal kick!

11:32AM

72' – GOOOOOAAAAAAAL FOR MANCHESTER CITY (0-1)

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Manchester City strikes first in spectacular fashion as Antoine Semenyo scores with a brilliant backheel finish to put his side ahead in the FA Cup final. The move ends with a moment of pure instinct in the box, leaving the defence wrong-footed and the keeper helpless as the ball is flicked into the net!

11:30AM

66' – Joao Pedro goes down in the box, but VAR says no penalty (0-0)

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Chelsea appeals for another penalty after Malo Gusto whips in a cross and Joao Pedro goes to ground inside the box, claiming he was being pulled back by Abdukodir Khusanov.

However, both the referee and VAR quickly dismiss the appeals, with the officials deciding there was no foul in the challenge.

11:27AM

65' – Second subtitution for Manchester City (0-0)

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Manchester City makes a midfield change as Mateo Kovacic replaces Rodri, bringing fresh legs into the centre of the pitch. Rodri’s evening comes to an end after his recent injury absence, having only just returned to action after missing the last four matches.

11:21AM

58' – Chelsea makes two penalty shouts, but to no avail (0-0)

Chelsea makes two consecutive appeals for penalties, but neither one persuades the referee or VAR.

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Before Enzo Fernandez's cross hits Nico O'Reilly's arm, which is deemed to be in a normal position, Moises Caicedo first falls after leaping onto Jimmy Doku without a foul being called.

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11:18AM

56' – First yellow card for Manchester City (0-0)

Chelsea continues its strong start to the second half as Marc Cucurella bursts free down the left flank, only to be brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov, who arrives late into the challenge and is shown a yellow card.

11:16AM

55' – Manchester City's mistake awards Chelsea another chance to take the lead (0-0)

A big moment for Chelsea comes from the resulting corner as James Trafford’s punch only drops to Moises Caicedo 15 yards out, with the midfielder looping a header back toward goal. However, Rodri is perfectly positioned to clear the ball off the line from close range, keeping the score level.

Moments earlier, there was more panic for Manchester City as Trafford miscontrols a back pass from Marc Guehi, gifting Chelsea a corner after a rare defensive error.

11:11AM

47' – Massive chance for Manchester City to take the lead (0-0)

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The second half has already produced a greater opportunity than the first in only two minutes!

Rayan Cherki is involved immediately, spreading the play wide to Nico O’Reilly, who delivers a delightful clipped cross into the box. At the back post, Antoine Semenyo rises highest, but his header goes just over the bar.

11:07AM

46' – First substitution for Manchester City (0-0)

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Manchester City makes the first change of the match as Rayan Cherki replaces Omar Marmoush at the start of the second half. Marmoush struggled to make an impact during his time on the pitch and barely had a touch in a quiet opening 45 minutes for the forward.

11:06AM

Second half kicks off! (0-0)

The second half begins as referee Darren England blows his whistle.

10:52AM

Halftime (0-0)

The first half of the FA Cup final comes to an end, with Manchester City and Chelsea still locked together after an entertaining opening 45 minutes.

City looked in complete control during the opening stages and threatened to run away with the match, but Chelsea gradually grew into the contest and finished the half looking the stronger side. Despite that momentum shift, Erling Haaland’s late opportunity was arguably the best chance of the half.

10:50AM

46' – Chelsea appeals for penalty! (0-0)

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10:45AM

44' – What a chance for Erling Haaland (0-0)

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10:35AM

32' – Second yellow card for Chelsea (0-0)

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Marc Cucurella is Chelsea's second player to be shown a yellow card after bringing down Antoine Semenyo during a dangerous Manchester City counterattack. The move began after Cole Palmer lost possession while trying to weave through the City defence, allowing Semenyo to break forward at pace before being cynically stopped by the Spaniard.

10:32AM

29' – First yellow card for Chelsea (0-0)

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Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez goes into the referee’s book after a heavy challenge on Bernardo Silva in the middle of the pitch. The Argentine appeared to get a touch on the ball, but the tackle looked reckless enough for Darren England to immediately show a yellow card.

10:29AM

24' – Erling Haaland scores for Manchester City, but it's offside (0-0)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland has a goal disallowed due to offside!

The Citizens think they have taken the lead as Erling Haaland taps into an empty net, but the celebrations are quickly cut short by the assistant referee’s flag. Matheus Nunes had burst in behind the Chelsea defence before squaring across goal for Haaland, but the City right-back was clearly offside in the build-up.

10:26AM

24' – Erling Haaland comes close for Manchester City (0-0)

Manchester City suddenly springs into life as Jermy Doku robs Wesley Fofana of possession down the left flank before releasing Erling Haaland into the penalty area. From a tight angle, the Norwegian fires a ball that is somewhere between a shot and a cross toward Omar Marmoush. However, it flashes dangerously across the face of the goal and rolls harmlessly away.

10:23AM

22' – Here's Chelsea once more (0-0)

Chelsea nearly capitalizes on a costly loose touch from Marc Guehi, with Enzo Fernandez producing a stunning scissor-kick pass over the top to release Joao Pedro into space. The Brazilian finds himself one-on-one with Khusanov, but hesitates at the crucial moment, cuts back inside, and then slips as he pulls the trigger, allowing the chance to go begging.

10:20AM

20' – Chelsea finally bursts into action (0-0)

Chelsea creates its first real attacking moment of the match as the ball is worked brilliantly out wide to Malo Gusto on the right flank. The Frenchman delivers a dangerous cross toward the back post, but Matheus Nunes reacts quickly to get across and turn it behind for Chelsea’s first corner of the game.

10:17AM

16' – Ball possession belongs to Manchester City (0-0)

26:74 is the current ball possession percentage for both sides.

Without a question, Manchester City has had a better start to the day, while Chelsea is persevering.

10:07AM

7' – First chance for either team (0-0)

Robert Sanchez of Chelsea easily saves Omar Marmoush's attempt after Antoine Semenyo's attempt gets deflected through to him. It is the first chance for either team in the first half!

10:00AM

The game has started!

Referee Darren England blows his whistle, and the final is underway!

09:50AM

What is Chelsea vs. Manchester City's FA Cup H2H record?

Chelsea and Manchester City have faced each other nine times in the FA Cup before today’s final, with City holding the stronger record overall.

FA Cup Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played: 9
Manchester City Wins: 6
Chelsea Wins: 3
Draws: 0

Previous FA Cup Meetings

1914/15 (Third Round): Chelsea 1-0 Man City
1947/48 (Fourth Round): Man City 2-0 Chelsea
1970/71 (Fourth Round): Man City 3-0 Chelsea
2012/13 (Semi-final): Man City 2-1 Chelsea
2013/14 (Fifth Round): Man City 2-0 Chelsea
2015/16 (Fifth Round): Chelsea 5-1 Man City
2020/21 (Semi-final): Chelsea 1-0 Man City
2022/23 (Third Round): Man City 4-0 Chelsea
2023/24 (Semi-final): Man City 1-0 Chelsea

Manchester City has also gone 13 matches unbeaten against Chelsea in all competitions since the 2021 Champions League final, winning 10 and drawing three during that run.

09:40AM

Who's the referee for Chelsea vs. Manchester City?

The referee for the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City is Darren England.

Match Officials

Referee: Darren England
Assistant Referees: Gary Beswick, Natalie Aspinall
Fourth Official: Michael Oliver
VAR: Peter Bankes
AVAR: Stuart Burt

England is one of the Premier League’s regular officials and has overseen several major domestic fixtures in recent seasons, including high-profile clashes in both the Premier League and cup competitions. This game is his career peak.

09:25AM

Where is Chelsea vs. Manchester City being played?

The 2025-26 FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City will be played at the iconic Wembley Stadium. The famous national stadium, known for its historic arch and electric atmosphere, once again hosts English soccer’s biggest domestic cup final as two Premier League giants battle for silverware in front of a packed crowd in the capital.

09:10AM

Manchester City's starting lineup confirmed!

Head coach Pep Guardiola confirmed the 11 players who'll start the game against Chelsea:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

GK: James Trafford
DEF: Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly
MID: Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez, Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo
ST: Erling Haaland

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09:05AM

Chelsea's starting lineup confirmed!

Interim head coach Calum McFarlane confirmed the 11 players who'll start the game against Manchester City:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

GK: Robert Sanchez
DEF: Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella
MID: Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto
ST: Joao Pedro

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08:45AM

Kickoff time and how to watch

The game between Manchester City and Chelsea will kick off at 10:00 AM (ET).

You can watch the 2025-26 FA Cup final live on ESPN+, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes.

08:30AM

Manchester City and Chelsea pit tactics against each other in the 2026 FA Cup final

Kickoff at Wembley is fast approaching, and the atmosphere is building ahead of one of the biggest matches of the English soccer season. Can Chelsea pull off a surprise and save its campaign, or will Manchester City continue its dominance and complete another domestic double? Stay with us for all the live updates, key moments, goals, and reaction from the FA Cup final at Wembley.