Manchester City defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, May 16, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The lone goal was scored in the 72nd minute by Antoine Semenyo with a deft back-heeled finish from an Erling Haaland cross that beat Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Semenyo described the goal, saying, "It has happened a couple of times in training - it happened perfectly today." He added, "Everything happened so fast to be honest. It came straight to me, and I had to improvize myself as quickly as I can" [7, 5]. Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson called it "one of the goals of the season" [7].
This victory secured Manchester City's eighth FA Cup title in the club's history [1, 2, 4]. It also completed a domestic cup double for City, having won the League Cup earlier this season in March 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 6]. French manager Pep Guardiola celebrated the win quietly but showed appreciation for Semenyo's decisive contribution [8]. It marked Guardiola's 20th major trophy in English football during his 10 years with Manchester City [7, 3, 6].
Antoine Semenyo joined Manchester City from Bournemouth in January for a reported £62.5 million [7, 6]. His timely impact helped secure the club’s success on the cup stage this season. Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered their seventh consecutive domestic cup final loss, denying them a ninth FA Cup title [3, 4]. The struggling club currently sits ninth in the Premier League and faces challenges qualifying for European competition [4, 6].
Manchester City remains in contention for the Premier League title, trailing leaders Arsenal by two points this late in the season [4, 6]. The club will continue their league campaign aiming to secure more silverware soon.
