soccer season

How to Watch the 2026 FA Cup Final: Chelsea vs. Manchester City

Man City enters its fourth consecutive FA Cup final appearance as the favorites, while Chelsea hopes for an upset to secure its ninth trophy

By Jonathan Zavaleta

Jonathan Zavaleta

Contact Jonathan Zavaleta by Email

View all posts by Jonathan Zavaleta

May 15, 2026

Add us as a Google Preferred Source

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 09: Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford at Etihad Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Erling Haaland of Manchester City (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Chelsea and Manchester City will face off for the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, with the Blues looking for their ninth trophy and Man City seeking their eighth. Man City currently sit at No. 2 in the Premier League, while Chelsea have sunk to ninth.

A win would lift the struggling London team, which has not won a Premier League game since March. Man City, meanwhile, haven’t lost a Premier League game since January, and beat Chelsea 3-0 when they last met in April.

At a Glance: How to Watch Chelsea vs. Man City FA Cup Final

While Chelsea is unsurprisingly the underdog for the FA Cup Final, the tournament is famous for producing some truly shocking upsets. The knockout competition, the oldest soccer tournament in the world, pits teams from across the English football system, giving small clubs the chance to face off against top teams.

Man City have been in every FA Cup Final since 2023, but lost the last two, including last year’s upset by Crystal Palace. Head coach Pep Guardiola criticized the match officiating, saying, “We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn’t do their jobs they should do, even the VAR” and added that he considers video assistant referee reviews to be “a flip of a coin.”

The tournament kicks off at 3 p.m. UK time, 10 a.m. ET. If you’re looking to stream the game in the U.S., it airs on ESPN2, with pregame coverage starting an hour before kickoff.

How to Watch the FA Cup Final: Chelsea vs. Man City

Here’s what to know about streaming the soccer game live, including options with free trials.

How to Watch the FA Cup Final Online: Chelsea vs. Man City

DirecTV

get free trial

DirecTV has numerous packages with ESPN, including the MySports pack, which starts at $45/mo for the first two months. The Entertainment plan, meanwhile starts at $85/mo. You also get a five-day free trial with DirecTV.

How to Watch the FA Cup Final Online: Chelsea vs. Man City

Fubo

get free trial

Sports-focused streaming service Fubo includes a free trial, and the Sports + News plan includes ESPN Unlimited. That said, Fubo does not have NBCUniversal channels.

How to Watch the FA Cup Final Online: Chelsea vs. Man City

Sling

sign up now

While Sling does not have a free trial, it does have affordable short-term passes. The Sling Orange plan includes ESPN2, which is carrying the game live.

How to Watch the FA Cup Final Online: Chelsea vs. Man City

ESPN Unlimited

sign up now

ESPN offers its own streaming service, which gets subscribers access to all of its networks for $30/mo. It’s also available as a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu.

FA Cup Final Date, Start Time

The Chelsea vs. Man City match kicks off on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. ET. at Wembley Stadium in London.

In this article:

More News

Read more

Top stories newsletter

A Cultural Force That Transcends Generations

Enter your Email

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.