16/05/2026

FA Cup Final preview: Chelsea vs Man City at Wembley

Chelsea and Manchester City meet in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium with the 25/26 trophy on the line. It is London vs Manchester, blue vs sky blue, and a full house expected. On Sofascore, the match page will carry live data once the action starts, including momentum, player stats and the post-match Sofascore Rating.

Lineups and shape

Both sides are listed in a 4-2-3-1. Chelsea’s projected XI includes Filip Jørgensen in goal, a back four of Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella, plus Moisés Caicedo and Andrey Santos in midfield. Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández are named among the attacking options, with João Pedro up front.

Manchester City’s likely starters include James Trafford in goal, with a back line showing Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guéhi and Nico O’Reilly. Bernardo Silva is in midfield, while the trio of Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and Jérémy Doku are listed behind Erling Haaland. The listed lineups are not yet confirmed on Sofascore, so keep an eye on final team news.

Match themes to watch

Erling Haaland against Chelsea’s central pair of Fofana and Chalobah looks like a decisive battle in both boxes. On the flanks, Reece James’ delivery could be a key route for Chelsea, while Jérémy Doku’s one‑v‑one threat asks questions the other way. Cole Palmer’s positioning between the lines will test City’s shape, and Bernardo Silva’s movement can unsettle Chelsea’s midfield.

Transitions should be lively with runners on both sides. Set pieces may also matter at Wembley’s wide pitch, where concentration and second balls often decide big finals.

Odds and market view

The 1X2 market tilts toward Manchester City. Current prices show Chelsea 15/4, Draw 31/10 and Man City 33/50. Compared with the initial lines, City have shortened from 19/25, while Chelsea and the draw have drifted from 10/3 and 13/5.

On the Asian handicap, Chelsea +0.75 is 39/40 and Man City −0.75 is 7/8. In short, the market leans City, but leaves room for a tight contest in normal time.

Wembley stage and the whistle

Wembley Stadium in London is set for up to 90,000 fans. The referee is Darren England, who has officiated 323 matches with 1,207 yellow cards, 26 reds and 16 second yellows. That works out to just under four bookings per game, which could influence how both midfields tackle early duels.

You can follow the FA Cup Final live on Sofasscore with real-time stats, momentum graphs, and detailed post-match Sofascore Rating for every player.

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