Manchester City claimed the 2026 FA Cup title after Antoine Semenyo’s sublime second-half finish secured a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The tightly contested final appeared destined for extra time before Semenyo produced a moment of brilliance in the 72nd minute to hand Pep Guardiola’s side their second trophy of the season.
The decisive goal came after sustained pressure from City. Erling Haaland collected possession on the right side of the penalty area and drilled a low ball across goal. Semenyo met it with an audacious backheel flick that redirected the ball into the bottom-right corner beyond Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
The finish stunned Wembley and finally broke the deadlock in a match that had been dominated by tactical discipline and missed opportunities.
City had controlled much of the first half, dictating possession and probing Chelsea’s defence without finding a breakthrough. Chelsea, however, emerged far more aggressive after the interval and briefly looked the more likely side to score.
Enzo Fernandez came closest for the London club in the 74th minute when he attempted a deft flick from close range after connecting with a cross from the left, only to loop the effort onto the roof of the net.
Chelsea also appealed repeatedly for a penalty late in the second half when Jorrel Hato went down under pressure from Abdukodir Khusanov inside the box, but referee Darren England waved away the claims.
As the match entered its closing stages, City nearly doubled their advantage through Rayan Cherki, whose long-range strike was tipped over the crossbar by Sanchez. Moments earlier, Matheus Nunes had struck the post after testing the Chelsea goalkeeper from the right side.
Chelsea continued to push for an equaliser, introducing attacking reinforcements including Pedro Neto, Liam Delap and Alejandro Garnacho, but Guardiola’s side held firm under pressure.
Moises Caicedo produced a crucial defensive intervention in the 84th minute to deny Haaland a clear scoring chance after Nico O’Reilly surged down the left flank and attempted to square the ball across the six-yard box.
Five minutes of stoppage time were added, but City managed the closing moments effectively to seal victory and spark celebrations among their supporters at Wembley.
The triumph adds another major honour to Guardiola’s collection and caps a resilient campaign for Manchester City, who also lifted the English League Cup earlier this season.
For Chelsea, the defeat marked another painful setback in a season that promised progress but ended with disappointment in one of English football’s biggest fixtures.
Following the final whistle, City’s players celebrated in front of their fans before making their way to the royal box to receive the trophy and winners’ medals. Chelsea’s squad collected runners-up medals in the presence of Prince William and England manager Thomas Tuchel.
The victory also underlined City’s continued dominance in domestic competitions under Guardiola, while Semenyo’s inspired intervention ensured his name will be remembered in FA Cup final history.
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