Chelsea v Manchester City: Route to the FA Cup Final

The 2025/26 FA Cup campaign draws to a close when Chelsea and Manchester City lock horns in the final on Saturday afternoon.

It's been a bleak season for Chelsea who enter the final with interim manager Calum McFarlane at the helm, but even in a poor term they can add a ninth FA Cup trophy to their growing list of accolades.

The Premier League title is out of Man City's hands with just two games to play, but it's been an impressive season on the whole for Pep Guardiola's side and Saturday marks a fourth consecutive FA Cup final.

Read on as we take a look at how Chelsea and Manchester City advanced to the FA Cup final.

Chelsea route to the FA Cup final

• Third Round: Charlton Athletic 1-5 Chelsea
• Fourth Round: Hull City 0-4 Chelsea
• Fifth Round: Wrexham 2-4 Chelsea
• Quarter-Finals: Chelsea 7-0 Port Vale
• Semi-finals: Chelsea 1-0 Leeds United

Chelsea commenced their 2025/26 FA Cup campaign with a 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic, marking Liam Rosenior's first game at the club.

There were five different goalscorers for Rosenior's side at The Valley, including a first Chelsea goal for Dutch defender Jorrel Hato.

It was a trip to the MKM Stadium up next for Chelsea where they would face Rosenior's former side, Hull City. It was a similarly emphatic performance from the visitors, with Pedro Neto scoring a first career hat-trick and Estêvão also finding the net.

Chelsea inflicted yet more pain on Championship opposition when defeating Wrexham 4-2 in the fifth round, but they needed extra time to get the job done on a dramatic night at the Racecourse Ground.

A late equaliser from Callum Doyle took the game beyond the 90, but Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro capitalised on 10-men Wrexham to book their spot in the quarter-finals.

Chelsea headed into their FA Cup quarter-final clash against Port Vale off the back of four consecutive defeats in all competitions, but they ensured that their dismal run wouldn't be extended to five games with ease. A strong Chelsea XI, featuring Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Neto, ran riot in a 7-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

A cagey affair at Wembley saw Chelsea defeat Leeds United 1-0 via a first half goal from Enzo Fernandez, and Saturday afternoon marks their first FA Cup final since they were defeated on penalties by Liverpool in the 2021/22 season.

Manchester City route to the FA Cup final

• Third Round: Manchester City 10-1 Exeter City
• Fourth Round: Manchester City 2-0 Salford City
• Fifth Round: Newcastle United 1-3 Manchester City
• Quarter-Finals: Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool
• Semi-finals: Manchester City 2-1 Southampton

While there was an obvious expectation that Man City would defeat Exeter City in the third round, few expected Pep Guardiola's side to find the net on 10 occasions.

Citizens debutant Antoine Semenyo found the net before he was replaced to a standing ovation in the 64th minute, while Man City academy graduate Rico Lewis scored a brace.

A heavily rotated Man City side defeated Salford City 2-0 in the fourth round, setting up an all-Premier League encounter between Newcastle and Man City.

What was mooted as a tough tie before the visit was a relatively comfortable night in the end, as they came from behind to beat Eddie Howe's side with a goal from Savinho and brace from Omar Marmoush.

Up next for Man City were reigning Premier League champions Liverpool, and while Arne Slot's side have proved a shadow of their 2024/25 selves this term, there's still quality in the side and the game was expected to be hard-fought.

Liverpool, who had started well, capitulated after conceding a first half brace to Erling Haaland, with Semenyo adding a third and the Norwegian brute completing his hat-trick in the second half.

After facing Premier League opposition in the fifth round and quarter-finals, it was Championship outfit Southampton who awaited Man City at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals.

The Saints took a shock lead through Finn Azaz in the 78th minute of the match, but a quickfire response from the Citizens saw Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez overturn the deficit.

Saturday marks the 24th time that Man City have been to Wembley under Guardiola, and they'll be out to claim a second trophy of the season after defeating Arsenal to win the EFL Cup in March.