FA Cup

Lore & Background

Arsenal are the most successful club with fourteen titles, most recently in 2020. Manchester City are the current holders, having defeated Chelsea 1–0 in the 2026 final. Arsène Wenger holds the record for most tournament wins with seven titles.

In Their Own Story

In May 1970, the rain at Wembley didn't just fall; it turned the turf into a sludge-filled battlefield. Peter Bonetti stood immovable in goal as the roar of the crowd drowned out everything but the fight. After a stalemate against the mighty Leeds United forced a replay under the floodlights of Old Trafford, John Hollins struck the decisive blow. When the final whistle pierced the gloom, it wasn't just a victory; it was the birth of a legend, as the first true giants of the modern era lifted silver high, proving that passion could topple any machine.

Reader's Guide

The competition is open to eligible clubs down to level 9 of the English football league system, with level 10 clubs as stand-ins. The tournament consists of 12 randomly drawn rounds, semi-finals, and a final. Winners qualify for the UEFA Europa League and the FA Community Shield.

Did You Know?

• The FA Cup was first played in the 1871–72 season.
• A record 763 clubs competed in the 2011–12 season.
• Only one non-League team has ever reached the quarter-finals in the modern era.
• The current FA Cup trophy is a 2014 replica of the second design, introduced in 1911.