Watch the FA Cup Final 2026 at your local Greene King Pub

The oldest national football competition in the world: the FA Cup. First played in 1871 as a cup for all teams in English football leagues to participate in, the 2026 Emirates FA Cup Final marks the end of the 145th edition of a historic tournament.  

Always held at the neutral venue of Wembley Stadium since 1923 (apart from a brief hiatus at the Millennium Stadium in the early 2000s), the FA Cup Final date is a highlight of the English football season. From upsets to underdog stories, there's no competition quite like it. 

Who is playing in the FA Cup Final?  

Last year’s champions, Crystal Palace, are out of the running to lift the Emirates FA Cup trophy this year, having been knocked out by National League team Macclesfield. It won't be easy for Macclesfield to win, but isn't that what the FA Cup was made for?  

Man City and Arsenal – current favourites 

According to current odds, Manchester City and Arsenal are the favourites to reign supreme. Mikel Arteta's side won the trophy in 2020, marking their most recent major trophy, but the North London team may have its sights set on their other three competitions instead. City lost out to Crystal Palace last year, so this year they'll be back on the hunt to reclaim their trophy. 

Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea – can it be done? 

Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea are three of the teams looking to go far into the rounds – with Liverpool looking to be out of the Premier League race, they'll be desperate for some success in the FA Cup or the Champions League. Aston Villa could be in the running for the double, playing well in both the FA Cup and the Europa League, while Chelsea is in need of some silverware after multiple unsuccessful campaigns throughout the last few years. 

Wrexham – our underdog pick

If there's an underdog in the running, it has to be Wrexham. It's no easy feat to make it to the FA Cup Final, but if there's an outsider that can do it, it's the Welsh warriors of Wrexham. They'll have to avoid knockout against Premier League teams like Leeds, West Ham, Fulham and Wolves to make it through... But what a story that'd make! 

FA Cup quarter-final and semi-final dates 

The winners of each match in the fifth round will face off in the FA Cup quarter-finals on the 4th of April, with the winners advancing to the semi-finals on the 25th of April. The winners of the semi-finals will then take their places in the final three weeks later. 

 

A trophy, money... What do the FA Cup winners actually receive? 

The FA Cup-winning team receives an automatic entry into the Europa League (if they haven’t finished in the top six of the Premier League) and gets to lift one of the most famous pieces of silverware in football, to the tune of chants and cheers from their supporters. They’ll also face the Premier League winners in the Community Shield season opener this August, and take home a prize of £2 million! 

 

Where you can watch the FA Cup Final  

We may not quite be Wembley, but our Greene King sports pubs are a pretty good runner-up for the FA Cup Final 2026! Our TNT Sports screens capture every second of the action, so from offside calls to Haaland-level hat tricks, you can call VAR before the ref even gets a look in. And if you've missed a moment, we'll keep you posted with the latest highlights, news and more all day long. 

 

Food and drink for every second 

Pints and football just go hand-in-hand, right? We think so, which is why we have a wide range of beers, along with wines, cocktails and alcohol-free options to enjoy as you watch the FA Cup Final. And, if your team lifts the trophy, there's plenty of shots waiting to celebrate with you. 

If you're getting ready for the match, or feeling that half-time hunger, our food menu is stacked with juicy burgers, hearty pub classics and delicious small plates to keep you fuelled. Just take a look at our menu, order up and we'll sort the rest. No faffing around. 

So, with an atmosphere to rival any derby day, beers flowing from the bar and delicious food just waiting to be enjoyed, just use our handy pub finder to secure your table and watch live football at our pubs showing football with us.  

 

The FA Cup, May highlights and more..

May is the biggest month in the football calendar and we're here to keep you on the ball for every goal, penalty, tackle and more. From the final weekend of the Premier League to the Champions League and Europa League final, it's a massive month and sets us up just in time for June's World Cup campaign across the pond. Summer, we're ready for you! 

And, it's not just football on our screens. We're the home of live sport, with live rugby, F1, tennis, darts and more showing on our Sky Sports and TNT Sports screens throughout the year. No matter what your persuasion, we've got it on at a sports pub near you.